Without strategic investments in public education made with the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget, public schools across Massachusetts will remain mired in a fiscal crisis that is compromising their ability to meet the needs of students, according to the United for Our Future coalition.
United for Our Future, a coalition of labor unions, advocacy groups and professional associations, today sent a letter to Gov. Maura Healey and state legislators that sounds an alarm over multiple issues affecting school funding that must be addressed in the state budget now coming together.
“The ‘perfect storm’ of factors behind the fiscal crisis remains in place,” the coalition wrote. “Rising special education and transportation costs, funding lost to charter schools, the constraints of Proposition 2½, and technical issues with the formula that determines how our schools are funded all continue to strain local budgets, as they have for years.”
United for Our Future is seeking :
- A fix to the inflation calculator used in establishing Chapter 70 funds.
- Support for districts facing enrollment declines.
- Minimum aid of at least $150 per student.
- Higher state reimbursement rates for local communities exceeding spending thresholds for special education.
- Greater reimbursement for transportation costs.
- Increased reimbursement for funding lost to charter schools.
- Fully funded rural aid.
- Investments in student mental health services.
- A commission charged with comprehensive evaluation of school funding.
United for Our Future issued the following statement:
“Massachusetts has great public schools but maintaining that quality will require immediate investment and long-range planning. The spike in communities seeking Proposition 2½ overrides must be seen as a call for help from the state. And that help is needed everywhere, as individual communities grapple with problems specific to their regions, as well as with those issues affecting classrooms across the Commonwealth. Communities also are bracing for the impact of any cuts in federal funding for education. Building a state budget that makes sure public schools have what they need will not only relieve some of the fiscal pressure cities and towns are feeling, but more importantly, ensure our students are able to grow and thrive with the power of an excellent education.”
The United for Our Future Coalition includes: the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Citizens for Public Schools, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Boston Teachers Union, Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials.
Quotes from coalition members:
“The proposed FY27 budget for Boston Public Schools falls short of meeting the needs of all students and cutting school-based supports will only compound the damage caused by harmful federal policies. As one of the wealthiest states in the country, we have the resources to protect classrooms and prioritize education as the critical investment it is. We urge the state to provide funding to mitigate the drastic enrollment declines caused by federal immigration actions, fully fund special education and charter reimbursements, increase Chapter 70 funding and invest in inclusive education. Now is the time to stand up for students and ensure every child has access to the well-resourced public schools they deserve.” – Erik Berg, Boston Teachers Union president
“Citizens for Public Schools is deeply concerned about the state budget both recognizing and meeting the significant and diverse financial challenges that public schools across the Commonwealth are experiencing. This fiscal crisis restrains many communities that want to do the right thing and provide students with small class sizes and access to highly skilled educators. The state needs to help our cities and towns meet the needs of every student by delivering a budget that reflects the high value that Massachusetts residents place on public education.” – Lisa Guisbond, Citizens for Public Schools executive director
“The federal administration is doing its best to undermine public education, and that demands a strong response in the form of a state budget that displays unwavering support for students, no matter where they live, what their needs are and which public school they attend. Cities and towns can’t do it by themselves, and they need the power provided by state spending to make sure all students are able to thrive. The fiscal crisis so many communities are experiencing takes shape in many forms, which is why the state budget must look broadly and comprehensively at the funding needed to maintain the high quality of public education in Massachusetts,” – Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Association president, and Deb McCarthy, Massachusetts Teachers Association vice president
