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Massachusetts Teachers Association launches ad campaign to restore programs that help students

The Massachusetts Teachers Association has launched a radio advertising campaign focusing on the impact that state cuts in education spending are having on students. The MTA's one-minute spot, "Common Sense," began airing January 12 on AM and FM stations in Greater Boston. The ad calls on Governor Mitt Romney to "stop the nonsense" that has led to the devastation of programs that promote class-size reduction, reading readiness, full-day kindergarten, and school breakfast availability for children.

"We believe it is crucial for the public to understand what students are losing as a result of the continued cuts in education spending," said MTA President Catherine A. Boudreau. "While he claims to care about students and to understand the importance of education to our state's economy, Governor Romney has unwisely slashed state spending on our schools and colleges.

"These cuts are being felt across our Commonwealth, and they are, quite simply, bad for students and bad for the state's future," Boudreau continued. "This is the year the cuts must be reversed if we are to maintain the progress we have made under Education Reform. The governor must restore funding to provide students with the high-quality education that is the key to opportunity in Massachusetts."

From FY03 to FY04, Governor Romney slashed Chapter 70 aid to public schools by more than 6 percent in real dollars, and almost one-half of districts lost 20 percent of their funding in this category. He also cut the major categories of non-school local aid, much of which pays for programs to help students, by more than 16 percent in real terms. In addition, he cut state funding for higher education. Funding in this area has now fallen by over 28 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars over the past three years.

Since the governor took office, his administration has:

• Eliminated grants to reduce class sizes in grades kindergarten through three. These funds had gone to districts in which at least 22 percent of the student population came from low-income families.
• Eliminated funding to cities and towns to help with the costs of changing from half-time kindergarten to full-day kindergarten. The Legislature restored partial funding for the program. Governor Romney then vetoed $10 million of those funds, but his veto was overridden.
• Eliminated funding for the Early Literacy and Early Intervention Tutorial Literacy programs – efforts to improve reading and writing proficiency and provide short-term intervention for children at risk of failing to read in first grade. Partial funding was later restored by the Legislature.
• Eliminated a pilot program designed to expand the school breakfast program. Partial funding was later restored by the Legislature.
• Significantly reduced funding for Early Childhood grant programs designed to help prepare children for school.

The MTA radio spot is airing in advance of the release of House 1, the governor's budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The ad was produced by MacWilliams, Robinson & Partners under the direction of Matthew MacWilliams, who lives in Amherst.

Boudreau emphasized that in assessing Governor Romney's spending plan for the coming fiscal year, it is vital for Massachusetts residents to compare rhetoric and reality.

"We need to keep our eye on what Romney's budget, as a whole, truly means for students attending our schools, our community colleges, our state colleges, and our University," she said. "If it's filled with misleading gimmickry and is bad for public education, it must be declared dead on arrival.

"As the MTA ad says: 'It's just common sense. A quality education is the key to opportunity in our knowledge-based economy.'"

The Massachusetts Teachers Association represents 97,000 public education employees, including education support professionals, teachers, higher education faculty and staff, and future teachers.

Hear the ad...