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Hancock judge rules for plaintiffs

On April 26, Superior Court Judge Margot Botsford issued a strongly-worded favorable report in the long-awaited Hancock case. MTA President Catherine A. Boudreau said she is "thrilled" by the report.

"This finding confirms our long-held position that the foundation budget is not adequate to provide all children with a comprehensive, quality education," Boudreau said.

The Hancock case -- named after Brockton High School student Julie Hancock -- is an extension of the McDuffy case, which was key to securing increased state funding for schools under the 1993 Education Reform Act. In today’s report, Botsford found that, despite increases in aid since McDuffy, the state is still not meeting its constitutional obligations to fund public education.

Botsford’s 300-page report and recommendations are being forwarded to the Supreme Judicial Court for action. If the SJC agrees with the judge’s findings, and if the Legislature fulfills its duties, the foundation budget will have to be revamped and public schools will have to receive significantly more funding from the state in the future.
 
The MTA is a member of the Council for Fair School Finance (goodschoolsformass.org), which brought the case on behalf of plaintiffs in 19 school districts.