►
Description
Providing quality education for our youth is an essential part of society. Join in as Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, Mayor Walsh, and other elected officials announce a bill that will update the state's education funding formula to help level the playing field for low-income students and districts.
A
B
B
So
I
want
to
thank
everybody
for
being
here.
This
is
an
incredible
turnout
on
an
issue
that
is
of
generational
importance
all
across
our
Commonwealth
I
want
to
give
a
special
thanks
and
a
shout
out
to
several
of
the
elected
officials
or
who
are
with
us
here
this
morning.
Some
of
them
are
going
to
get
introduced
a
little
later
in
the
program,
but
for
starters,
I
want
to
just
give
thanks
and
recognition
to
several
supporters
from
both
the
house
in
the
Senate
that
are
here
with
us.
B
Representative
Nika
L
Gardo,
senator
and
representative
Liz
Miranda
representative
Chris
Hendricks
Senator,
Joe,
Commerford
I'm,
just
gonna
ask
you
to
hold
your
applause.
The
uncles
are
all
fabulous
representative
Lindsey,
Sabo
dosa
we've
also
got
our
Boston
City
Council
President
Andrea
Campbell
I
believe
is
here
senator
Kennedy
from
Lowell
senator
Brady
from
the
great
city
of
Brockton,
senator
Vaughn,
Corey,
representative
Holmes,
Representative
Mike
Connolly
is
here
and
if
I
have
missed
out
senator
al
George
I
saw
representative
Tom
Stanley
I'm
counselor
asabi
George,
who
is
the
head
of
our
education
committee
in
Boston.
B
D
B
Ryan
represented
Ryan
is
also
here.
So,
as
you
can
see,
this
is
you
know
it's
a
phenomenal
coalition
from
you
know.
Every
region
of
our
state
and
this
fantastic
collection
of
folks
is
here
because
a
quarter
century
ago
our
state
made
a
promise
that
every
child,
no
matter
her
zip
code,
her
language,
her
disability,
her
income
would
be
provided
what
she
needed
to
succeed
in
school.
B
If
we
let
it
stand
so
we
said
we
won't
let
it
stand
in
Massachusetts,
we
said
we
will
close
this
opportunity
divide
in
the
core
of
how
we
would
make
good
on
that
promise
was
something
called
the
foundation
budget,
a
formula
written
into
law
in
the
1993
education
reform
act,
but
that
promise
is
actually
a
lot
older
than
25
years.
It's
rooted
in
our
state
constitutions
demand
that
we
cherish
public
education.
B
Yet
today,
as
so
many
people
across
our
Commonwealth
know,
this
is
a
promise
that
we
have
not
kept.
In
fact,
when
you
take
inflation
into
account,
state
spending
on
public
education
over
the
past
17
years
has
actually
decreased,
but
nearly
8
percent,
and
despite
making
progress
in
narrowing
that
divide
between
the
haves
and
have-nots
in
the
1990s,
we
are
once
again
today
staring
down
the
barrel
of
yawning
opportunity
and
achievement
gaps.
B
That's
why
so
many
people
in
this
building
and
more
importantly,
and
as
you
can
see
here
today
in
the
flesh,
people
well
beyond
these
walls,
have
spent
years
demanding
that
we
right
this
wrong
and
you're
gonna
hear
from
a
sampling
of
them.
Today,
we've
advocated
we
letters
made
phone
calls
chanted
at
rallies
and
repeatedly
called
the
question
when
Massachusetts
schoolchildren
have
been
told
to
wait
for
what
they
deserve
today,
we're
here
to
say
that
waiting
is
itself
a
decision.
B
My
friends,
there
are
no
more
excuses.
There
are
no
more
if
onlys,
there
are
no
more
wait
till
next
year's.
It
is
time
to
keep
our
promise,
and
that
is
why,
this
morning,
I'm
filing
the
promised
act,
an
act
providing
for
rightful
opportunities
and
meaningful
investment
for
successful
and
equitable
education.
This
bill
will
fully
enact
all
five
recommendations
of
the
bipartisan
foundation
budget
Review
Commission,
and
ensure
that
every
district
in
our
state
is
receiving
the
resources
that
our
Constitution
requires
and
that
every
child
needs
to
succeed.
We
must
act
with
urgency.
B
And
we
must
also
act
with
purpose.
All
five
recommendations,
including,
and
especially
the
equity
provisions,
are
essential
if
we
were
to
walk
the
walk,
and
we
must
rededicate
rededicate
ourselves
to
the
premise
that
the
state
will
always
be
a
partner
with
localities
in
funding
K
through
12
district
schools.
B
That
is
what
our
Constitution
requires.
It
is
what
our
districts
for
years
have
been
demonstrating,
that
they
need
and
it's
what
our
Massachusetts
values
and
not
for
nothing,
but
the
data
tell
us
is
the
right
thing
to
do
so.
At
this
time,
I'd
like
to
introduce
my
partners
on
this
issue,
soldiers
for
justice
from
the
House
of
Representatives,
representative
Aaron
Vega
from
Holyoke
and
representative
Mary
Keith
of
Worcester.
E
Good
morning,
everybody
I
want
to
start
just
by
thank
everybody
for
being
here
a
lot
of
excitement
a
lot
of
energy
in
this
room.
Obviously,
you
can
feel
it's
a
little
warm
too
quick,
shout
outs
before
I.
Get
to
my
points.
Lucas
Barrios
from
the
Black
Latino
caucus
is
that
your
chair,
thank
you.
For
being
here.
Black
Latino
caucus
is
growing
this
year.
We've
got
some
great
new
members.
We're
meeting
later
on.
E
E
So
a
couple
things
for
too
long,
our
communities
have
been
underfunded
and
shortchanged
when
it
comes
to
public
school
education
shortchanged,
because
we
put
forth
formulas
here
at
the
State
House
that
we're
not
keeping
up
with
me
at
the
charter
school
reimbursement,
be
it
chapter
70,
be
it
special
needs
education
right,
be
it
regional
transportation
or
our
rural
districts.
These
are
these
are
proposals
that
we
put
forth
and
we're
not
fulfilling
that
promise.
E
That
said,
on
the
other
hand,
I
now
represent
the
same
Holyoke,
which
has
been
struggling
educationally
for
maybe
two
decades
at
least,
but
now
we're
in
receivership,
and
many
of
you
think,
oh
now,
the
term
receivership
all
the
money's
flowing
in
from
the
state
and
everything's
taken
care
of.
Quite
the
opposite.
E
Let
me
tell
you
we
are
still
looking
at
a
four
million
dollar
shortfall
next
year,
four
million
dollar
shortfall
in
a
community
that
now
has
taken
in
hundreds
of
evacuees
from
Puerto
Rico,
a
community
that
now
has
a
comprehensive
plan
to
turn
the
city
and
the
school
around.
In
order
to
have
sustainable,
inventive
change,
you
need
funding.
Funding
is
critical
to
get
this
done
and
make
a
sustainable.
So
in
order
for
Holyoke
Lowell
Leominster
any
other
city
to
turn
around,
it
needs
the
fundings.
E
It
makes
sure
that
those
class
sizes
don't
creep
up
over
30
kids,
make
sure
those
supports
make
sure
not
cut
in
arts,
not
cut
in
libraries
I'm,
not
cutting
busing
I'm.
Hearing
that
lemons.
Just
looking
at
charging
kids
families
they're
over
eighth
grade
charging
them
to
go
to
school.
We
have
an
attendance
issue
already.
So
this
is
critical.
The
time
is
now
the
promised
needs
to
be
kept.
I'm
so
thankful
to
my
colleagues
here
today
and
we're
gonna
get
this
done.
C
Let's
start
by
recognizing
that
the
state
of
Massachusetts
is
ranking
33rd
in
terms
of
what
we
spend
and
dedicate
to
public
education,
and
with
that
comes
the
palpability
of
an
inequality,
the
urgency
of
need,
as
you
heard,
and
the
understanding
that
we
can't
wait
any
longer,
we
as
a
state
can
do
better
need
to
do
better
for
Worcester.
This
could
mean
tens
of
millions
of
dollars
annually
that
we
are
owed
to
meet
our
constitutional
responsibility
to
the
students
of
our
state.
In
particular.
C
This
would
impact
how
we
educate
ëall
students,
how
many
students
are
in
each
classroom
the
number
of
adjustment
counselors
that
attend
to
the
school
well-being,
to
the
healthy
well-being,
social
well-being
of
our
students
and,
finally,
that
we
are
able
to
offer
alternative
activities
and
opportunities
in
after-school
programs.
The
time
to
act
is
now
my
own
family
I
had
three
children
that
went
through
the
Worcester
Public
Schools,
starting
in
the
1990s,
and
their
experience
was
one
of
great
confidence
about
what
our
city
had
to
offer
in
terms
of
public
education.
C
I'm
talking
about
music,
lessons
I'm
talking
about
special
ed
tutoring
I'm,
talking
about
full-day,
preschool
I'm,
talking
about
after-school
programming,
so
25
years
later,
I
think
we
need
to
work
a
little
harder
to
make
sure
that
we're
offering
these
same
things
that
allowed
my
children
to
really
succeed
and
to
be
strong,
successful
working
adults
today,
so
we've
heard
it
from
students
in
Worcester,
we've
heard
it
from
our
teachers.
We've
heard
it
from
our
school
committee
reaching
out
to
us
as
leaders,
the
legislation
legislature
and
we've
heard
it
from
parents.
C
D
Good
morning
my
name
is
dr.:
Mary
Burke
I'm,
the
superintendent
of
the
Chelsea
public
schools
and
I
am
a
product
of
the
Chelsea
public
schools.
I
also
served
on
the
foundation
budget
reform
commission.
For
two
years.
The
foundation
budget
reform
Commission,
released
its
recommendations
in
2015.
I
was
proud
of
the
work
in
our
recommendations.
Many
of
us
in
education
were
hopeful
at
that
time.
That
change
was
coming.
D
We
were
hopeful
that
the
leaders
in
our
state
recognized
the
urgent
need
to
address
the
consistent
erosion
of
funds
that
were
intended
to
flow
to
the
classroom
and
to
our
next
generation
of
leaders.
Our
students,
our
hope,
has
waned
since
2015
with
each
passing
year.
The
numbers
do
not
lie.
Our
student
populations
have
changed
since
1993
and
continue
to
change.
D
In
Chelsea
alone,
our
homeless
student
population
has
gone
from
134
in
2013
to
445
in
2018
an
increase
of
232
percent
in
2013,
our
English
language
learner
student
population
was
just
under
20%
and
in
2018
it
was
just
under
40%.
It
completely
doubled
in
those
five
years.
Our
students
are
in
need
of
more
support,
more
21st
century
opportunities,
more
resources,
more
adults
in
their
educational
careers
and
smaller
class
sizes,
after-school
programming
before
school
programming
in
Chelsea.
We
are
underfunded
in
health
insurance
by
8.2
million
dollars
and
in
special
education.
D
We
are
underfunded
by
seven
point:
four
million
dollars,
a
total
of
15.6
million
dollars
that
are
diverted
from
the
classroom
and
from
all
of
the
needs
that
our
students
have
have
before
them.
While
these
are
Chelsey
numbers,
my
colleagues
across
the
state
will
attest
to
the
same,
changing
and
shifting
demographic
patterns
in
their
communities.
The
same
increase
in
need
to
all
varying
degrees,
and
we
are
dedicated
educators
willing
to
do
the
work
and
we
do
it
well.
D
While
we
commend
our
leaders
for
trying
to
address
some
of
the
issues
in
the
past,
the
reality
is
the
foundation
budget
when
adjusted
for
inflation
has
not
kept
up
with
the
changing
and
complex
needs
of
our
students,
our
student
population,
throughout
Massachusetts,
nor
the
financial
burden,
parents,
teachers,
superintendents
school
committees.
We
are
all
frustrated,
and
yet
we
are
hopeful
today.
The
time
is
now
you've
heard
it.
The
time
is
now
to
do
the
right
work
on
behalf
of
our
students
and
families
in
the
Commonwealth.
D
F
Good
morning,
everyone
I
am
dr.
Marianela,
Rivera
and
I
am
the
vice
chair
of
the
Lawrence
School
Committee
and
a
member
of
si
plan.
The
collaborative
parent
leadership,
Action
Network
I'm,
here,
first
and
foremost,
as
a
parent
of
a
child
who
attended
the
Lawrence
Public
Schools,
but
also
as
a
physical
therapist,
who
has
worked
in
an
affluent
community
and
a
poor
urban
community
here
in
Massachusetts
I'm,
also
a
product
of
the
Lawrence
public
school
systems
and
one
of
the
very
few
residents
who
has
obtained
a
doctorate
degree.
F
I
can
tell
you
firsthand
from
my
lived
experience
exactly
what
the
achievement
gap
feels
like,
and
the
barriers
that
are
in
place
for
African,
American
and
Latino
students.
My
son
has
witnessed
the
disparities
in
education,
starting
in
a
public
school
transitioning
to
a
charter
school
and
now
attending
a
private
school.
We
are
fortunate
to
be
in
the
position
where
we
can
provide
him
with
the
education
that
he
deserves,
but
what
about
his
cousins?
And
what
about
his
friends?
And
what
about
our
neighbors
and
our
community
members?
F
Our
educational
system
is
inequitable
and
it
is
predominantly
affecting
poor
students
of
color
during
a
tour
of
the
Lawrence
High
School's
ninth
grade
academy,
my
colleague
and
I
noted
that
the
students
were
not
provided
with
math
and
science
textbooks.
Teachers
were
photocopying
handouts
for
students,
many
of
our
students
don't
have
access
to
the
Internet
at
home
and
many
of
their
parents
can't
read
or
write
in
English
and
have
a
limited
education.
How
on
earth
are
our
students
supposed
to
study
and
work
on
their
homework
without
the
resources
that
they
need
in
special
education?
F
We
see
our
students
being
shortchanged
constantly
and
not
being
provided
with
the
services
that
they
require
to
access
their
education
per
IDE,
a
law?
Why?
Because
special
education
is
underfunded.
The
top
M
caste
scoring
school
systems
like
places
like
Lexington
and
Weston,
spend
between
17
and
23
thousand
per
pupil,
and
a
commune
like
ours
and
Lawrence
spends
thousands
less.
We
cannot
afford
to
contribute
more
than
the
minimum
required
for
per
pew
per
pupil,
but
other
communities
can
exceed
that
and
that's
exactly
why
their
students
are
outperforming
ours.
It's
about
time.
F
We
stop
calling
it
achievement
gap
and
address
it
at
the
root
source
of
the
problem.
It's
time
that
we
update
the
foundation
budget
formula
to
ensure
that
all
students
receives
the
resources
and
the
tools
that
they
need
to
have
a
well-rounded
education
and
a
future
filled
with
endless
possibilities.
G
I've
witnessed
how
lies
of
those
who
are
forced
to
do
without
unfold,
and
sometimes
too
dismal
results,
and
sometimes
irreversible
results.
I'm
grateful
to
have
had
the
experience
of
working
with
incredible
young
minds
and
very
different
environments
and
districts,
but
it
is
obvious
that
students
from
well-funded
public
schools
will
have
vastly
more
opportunities
and
life.
G
Some
districts
have
funding
while
others
do
not.
These
are
real
concerns,
not
tails,
and
they
are
disproportionately
affect
students
from
urban
and
Gateway
and
rural
districts,
as
well
as
those
with
learning
disabilities.
From
low-income
families
and
English
language
learners,
students
with
brown
and
black
skin,
having
worked
in
an
underfunded,
district
I've
observed
the
direct
correlation
between
underfunding,
mental
health
challenges.
G
Contrast
this
with
the
well-funded
district.
That
I
currently
have
the
privilege
to
work
in,
and
the
differences
are
quite
glaring.
These
students
have
the
benefit
of
the
state
of
the
art,
theater
and
music
programs,
a
fully
staffed
library,
travel
abroad,
opportunities,
reasonable
adults
to
student
ratio,
multiple
and
meaningful
field
trips
and
internships.
G
Moreover,
there
are
fully
staffed
with
nurses,
guidance,
counselors
and
mental
health
support
and
other
districts
where
I've
worked.
These
same
opportunities
do
not
exist,
they
have
not
suffice
to
say
the
additional
financial
resources
are
desperately
needed.
It
is
time
for
Massachusetts
to
pass
an
updated
foundation.
Budget
formula
under
the
current
formula.
Every
public
school
district
is
currently
underfunded.
G
Some
is
basic
as
paper
and
tissues
and
well-funded
districts.
Resources
are
abundant.
I've,
sadly
seen
firsthand
how
inequity
of
mental
healthcare
plays
into
well-funded
versus
under-funded
districts.
In
addition
to
the
psychological
and
physical
stresses
associated
with
limited
financial
resources,
students
and
underfunded.
Districts
dealing
with
mental
health
or
special
education
needs,
face
increased
feelings
of
demoralization,
persistent
anxiety
and
disruption
of
their
learning
environment.
G
Lack
of
funding
prevents
districts
from
providing
what
they
should,
which
is
a
well-rounded
education,
complete
with
art,
music
theatre,
school
clubs
and
other
activities
all
in
a
nurturing
environment,
with
a
diverse
curriculum,
but
I
bring
an
awareness
and
an
understanding
about
the
true
cross
of
underfunding.
By
giving
every
child
every
child
an
opportunity
for
achievement,
we
will
begin
to
generally
honor
all
communities
and
realize
the
righteousness
of
educating
students
to
be
productive
members
of
society,
I'd
like
to
take
a
moment
to
introduce
some
of
our
mayor's
who
are
present
here
today.
H
Thank
you,
Thank
You
Xena,
and
thank
you
first
of
all,
look
around
this
room
for
a
minute.
I
served
in
this
building
16
years
as
the
state
representative
and
there's
been
times
where
coalition's
have
come
together
on
issues
but
I,
don't
think
I've
ever
seen
in
one
room:
the
coalition
education
that
I
see
in
this
room
from
from
educational
organizations
to
associations,
to
elected
officials,
to
kids,
to
parents,
to
superintendents
cities
from
all
across
this
Commonwealth
that
are
with
us
today
and
cities
that
couldn't
be
with
us
today.
H
That
are
part
of
what
we're
doing
here.
I
want
to
thank
senators
Sean
your
chain,
Diaz
I,
want
to
thank
representative
Vega
I,
want
to
thank
representative
Mary
Keith.
My
former
colleagues
I,
want
to
thank
all
the
Senators
and
Representatives
that
I
here,
we're
also
joined
by
new
new
state
representative
John
Santiago
from
Boston
I
want
thank
you
John
for
being
with
us
today.
I.
H
Yesterday,
two
days
ago,
we
had
a
Boston
delegation
meeting
and
I
said
at
that
meeting,
it's
time
to
put
our
differences
aside,
it's
time
to
not
have
fights
about
education
funding
it's
time
to
get
together
and
talk
about
education,
funding,
they're
going
to
be
more
than
this
bill
filed,
but
we
need
to
come
together
and
come
up
with
a
bill
that
works.
You've
heard
from
speaker
after
speaker
after
speaker
how
the
system
is
not
working
today
for
all
of
our
kids
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Massachusetts
I
want
to
thank
the
mayors
that
are
here
today.
H
I
want
to
thank
that
all
of
the
mayors
that
are
here
for
your
great
work
and
will
also
join
my
mail
lapping
shelves
here
as
well.
So
thank
you.
Mr.
mayor,
madam
mayor
I
should
say
the
council
is
I
want
to
thank
Tunisia
Sullivan
from
the
n-double
a-c-p
who's
here
today.
I
want
to
thank
those
different
organizations.
H
I'm
giving
a
speech
next
Tuesday
and
in
that
speech
I'll
talk
about
how
great
Boston
is
doing
and
I'll
talk
about
the
great
jobs
that
we
have
and
the
hundred
and
twenty
thousand
jobs
in
five
years
and
I'll
talk
about
how
we're
working
on
closing
the
income,
inequality
gap
and
I'll
talk
about
the
housing.
We're
producing
and
I'll
talk
about
all
of
the
stuff
that
we're
doing
today,
but
the
future
of
our
city
and
the
future
of
all
of
our
cities
in
the
future
of
our
Commonwealth
isn't
standing
here
its
standing
here.
H
We
would
not
be
standing
here
together.
All
of
us
if
we
didn't
think
the
education
promise
act,
will
give
us
the
tools
to
make
that
a
reality.
We
are
proud
in
the
city
of
Boston
to
join
this
coalition,
we're
proud
to
join
other
districts
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Massachusetts,
like
Lawrence
and
Medford,
he's
Hampton
in
every
Worcester
and
everywhere
else
we're
proud
of
that.
We
all
have
different
challenges
facing
our
school
district.
H
When
education
reform
happened
in
1993
it
was,
it
was
landmark.
It
was
great,
it
was
groundbreaking,
but
that
was
a
20th
century
in
that
20th
century
formula
doesn't
work
for
a
21st
century
education
anymore,
and
we
need
to
make
sure
that
we
continue
to
work
that
because
some
of
what
we
talked
about
are
outdated
in
25
years.
H
What's
missing
is
the
education
research
that
many
of
you
have
provided
us
over
25
years
in
creating
this
new
formula
for
too
long
in
the
Commonwealth
to
struggle
to
invest
in
urban
school
districts
like
the
city
of
Boston
in
other
cities,
we
educate
in
Boston
the
highest
concentration
of
low-income
students,
English
language,
language,
learners,
special
ed
students,
the
highest
needs
students
in
the
Commonwealth.
That's
a
common
theme.
Every
one
of
us
can
get
up
to
this
podium
and
say
the
same
thing.
So
that's
why
this
is
important.
We
currently
invest
in
Boston
1.3
billion
dollars.
H
I
guess
you
can
say
we
are
a
rich
district,
but
you
can
also
look
at
the
challenges.
What
we
have
in
our
district.
We
have
65,000
students
in
the
district.
That
means
in
our
public
school
district
in
the
public
charter
school
district.
This
is
not
China
schools
versus
public
schools.
This
is
not
schools
versus
each
other.
We
don't
want
I,
don't
want
to
get
into
that
conversation,
because
that's
not
what
this
is
about.
H
That
conversation
happened
before
that
should
not
come
into
this
conversation.
What
we're
trying
to
do
now?
We
have
grown
our
budget
since
2014
over
two
hundred
and
fifty
million
dollar
investment
in
the
City
of
Austin.
We've
created
national
models
for
education
from
dual
language
programs
to
special
need.
Inclusion
to
stem
career
pathways
to
homeless,
supports
we've
also
committed
to
invest
a
billion
dollars
in
our
ten-year
bill,
bps
the
project
to
build
new
schools,
21st
century
schools
in
our
city.
H
But
we
need
to
make
sure
the
funding
supports
down
the
current
education
funding
results
in
less
than
that
state
funding
every
year
for
our
students.
If
status
quo
persists
in
the
City
of
Austin,
we
will
get
zero
state
education
aid
to
support
our
students.
We
will
be
paying
the
state
for
56,000
kids,
87
percent
of
those
kids.
Our
kids
are
calling.
Many
of
those
kids
have
have
have
situations
that
we
have
to
support
them
in
the
classroom.
That's
why
we
must
take
action
and
that's
why
this
collaboration
is
so
important
today.
H
That's
what
this
education
promise
Act
does.
It
will
make
sure
the
money
goes
to
where
it's
needed
the
most.
It
will
combine
the
recommendations,
as
the
senator
mentioned
earlier,
from
the
foundation
budget,
Review
Commission,
with
a
new
guaranteed
minimum
level
funding
for
all
districts
in
Massachusetts,
so
it
affects
every
district
in
Massachusetts
in
a
positive
manner.
This
isn't
about
taking
from
one
area
and
putting
in
another
area.
This
is
about
lifting
everybody
up,
because
in
the
past
it
was
too
often
we're
either
gonna
invest
here
or
there
that's
not
what
this
is
about.
H
Without
these
resources,
we
will
struggle
in
Boston
to
meet
the
basic
needs,
let
alone
to
be
able
to
address
the
critical
challenges
of
giving
our
students
the
best
possible
start
with
hot,
with
a
high
quality
universal
pre-kindergarten
program
for
every
single
four-year-old
in
our
city.
Not
every
city
in
town
needs
that,
but
this
gives
us
the
ability
to
put
Institute
that
in
Boston,
because
we've
seen
the
studies
you've
done
the
studies
that
show
if
we
get
kids
into
school
at
4
years
old.
H
A
A
The
youth
in
our
community-
and
there
are
many
challenges-
those
challenges
can
break
many
youth
down
and
lead
them
astray
due
to
the
lack
of
opportunities
and
support.
However,
I
choose
for
these
hardships
to
find
who
I'm
going
to
be
in
the
future.
A
leader
a
community
advocate
and
a
student
of
life.
A
A
Environment,
as
you
could
imagine,
to
thrive
in
these
conditions
is
not
easy,
and
this
may
be
the
case
for
many
students
across
the
state
of
Massachusetts.
Me
speaking
in
front
of
you
today
is
a
result
of
many
of
the
decisions
that
are
made
in
this
room.
This
is
a
direct
result
of
budget
cuts
in
our
public
schools.
I
remember
participated
in
institution,
school
and
I,
remember,
participating
in
citizen
schools
where
we
will
travel
to
Boston
and
have
the
opportunity
to
participate
in
various
apprenticeships.
A
I
love
this,
but
we
don't
have
this
anymore
exposed
me
to
new
things
outside
of
my
immediate
surrounding
and
almost
made
me
forget
that
I
would
have
to
go
back
home
and
face
all
these
challenges
again
and
again
so
I
would
ask
you:
do
you
sincerely
expect
us
to
succeed
under
these
circumstances?
Are
you
aware
of
these
issues?
Can
you
do
something
to
help
us?
Will
you
help
us
I
hope
so
I.
A
Think
thank
you
for
giving
me
a
chance
to
share
their
ills
of
many
students
like
myself
and
being
able
to
speak
on
their
behalf.
It's
a
great
honor
I
understand
your
jobs
are
difficult
and
you
make
hard
choices
every
day,
but
please
make
the
right
ones
for
those
who
matter
the
most.
Our
youth,
our
future.
I
Look
for
words
that
day
well.
Thank
you,
senator
and
folks
for
your
leadership
in
this
important
issue.
My
name
is
Tom
Hopcroft
and
as
the
CEO
of
the
Massachusetts
technology,
Leadership
Council
I
represent
the
technology
sector
here
in
Massachusetts.
Many
of
the
speakers
who
have
gone
ahead
of
me
today
have
talked
about
the
moral
imperative
and
the
equity
reasons
that
we
need
to
update
the
funding
formula
I'm
here
to
talk
about
the
business
imperative.
I
Technology
is
a
major
driver
of
the
Massachusetts
economy.
300,000
people
are
employed
by
tech
companies,
another
hundred
thousand
in
tech
jobs
across
all
other
sectors,
and
these
jobs
generate
another
800,000,
indirect
or
support
jobs.
Together,
this
1.2
million
jobs
represents
34
percent
of
our
gross
State
product.
We
know
that
skilled
talent
is
the
number
one
reason
the
companies
choose
to
locate
in
Massachusetts,
and
we
know
that
the
inability
to
find
enough
skilled
talent
is
the
number
one
constraint
they
have
to
growth.
I
In
fact,
according
to
local
research,
firm
burning
glass,
there
are
over
thirty
thousand
job
openings
in
the
tech
industry
in
Massachusetts,
according
to
the
Massachusetts
Department
of
higher
education.
For
each
kid
that
makes
it
through
college
with
a
bachelor's
degree
in
tech
or
IT.
There
are
17
job
openings.
Six
of
the
associates
level.
We
need
to
give
our
schools
the
resources
to
be
innovative
and
accountable
in
helping
prepare
all
of
our
students
for
the
opportunities
of
the
21st
century.
I
When
companies
cannot
find
talent
locally,
they
hire
elsewhere,
taking
with
them
the
intellectual
capital
to
support
jobs
and
the
individual
contributions
these
people
make
to
our
communities
in
our
tax
base.
We
know
that
more
diverse
teams
are
more
successful.
They
make
better
decisions,
they
have
better
financial
outcomes,
they
better
reflect
our
customer
base
and
they
create
conditions
that
help
retain
staff.
Yet
the
tech
sector
is
about
three-quarters,
white
and
male.
I
We
know
that
bringing
better
education,
including
technology
into
the
schools,
changes,
lives.
The
math
tech
leadership
councils,
Education
Foundation
leads
a
regional,
the
Massachusetts
region
of
a
global
entrepreneurship,
competition
called
Technovation
by
irridescent.
Just
over
the
last
five
years.
We've
helped
inspire
and
support
over
700
middle
and
high
school
girls
from
70
schools
in
50
different
cities
and
towns
across
the
Commonwealth.
Well,
we
are
proud
of
the
success
we
find
that
year
after
year,
the
majority
of
the
girls
who
are
able
to
participate
come
from
the
more
affluent
suburban
towns.
I
We
need
to
modernize
the
foundation
budget
to
help
level
the
playing
field.
Talent
is
distributed
evenly
in
populations,
but
the
opportunities
are
not,
and
it
is
incumbent
upon
us
to
ensure
that
every
school
has
the
resources
to
prepare
our
kids
for
21st
century
careers.
We
need
to
update
and
modernize
the
foundation
budget
formula
to
address
not
just
the
increases
in
health
care
and
special
needs,
but
also
to
provide
support
for
lower
income
and
English
language
learners.
I
I
And
for
anyone
who
has
an
iPhone
in
their
pocket,
Steve
Jobs
with
the
son
of
a
Syrian,
so
immigrants
are
innovators
and
job
creators,
there's
talent
in
every
community.
We
need
to
give
every
child
the
opportunity
to
be
creators
and
not
just
consumers
of
the
21st
century,
so
there's.
For
this
reason
we
support
the
education
promise
Act.
Thank
you
and
I'd
like
to
turn
the
podium
over
to
is
yourself
in.
A
J
Be
the
first
to
say
it
at
first
I
want
to
thank
Senator,
Chang,
Diaz
and
Representatives
Vega
and
ki
for
your
leadership
on
all
of
this
very
important
work,
as
well
as
the
numerous
state
and
city
elected
officials
who
are
here
today.
I
also
want
to
acknowledge
the
many
advocates
who
are
in
the
room
who
tirelessly
advocate
on
behalf
of
some
of
our
most
vulnerable
children,
because
you
deeply
care
and
love
them.
I
also
want
to
acknowledge
our
teachers,
unions,
who
are
represented
here
today,.
J
You
represent
those
who
are
on
the
frontlines
holding
the
resistance,
as
we
say,
standing
in
the
gap
every
day
and
I
want
to.
Thank
you
for
that
in
the
aggregate.
The
data
tells
us
that
our
students
across
the
Commonwealth
are
learning
and
in
some
instances,
they're
outpacing
students
in
other
parts
of
the
country.
J
So
when
faced
with
so
many
funding
priorities,
some
may
be
tempted
to
say
that's
good
enough,
but
good
enough
is
not
an
acceptable
response.
Once
we
take
a
closer
look
at
the
data,
the
data
tells
us
that,
year
after
year,
while
we
celebrate
what
the
aggregate
data
tells
us,
there
is
a
disturbing
truth
hanging
over
some
of
our
most
vulnerable
students,
students
from
all
racial
backgrounds
whose
families
are
living
paycheck
to
paycheck
doing
the
best
they
can
hoping
that
by
sending
their
children
to
school
in
search
of
the
education
promised
by
our
Constitution.
J
J
J
We
like
so
many
other
urban
districts
in
gateway.
Cities
are
facing
a
funding
crisis
and
that
crisis
has
hit
Boston.
It
has
hit
our
children,
it
has
hit
our
our
families
and
it
has
hit
our
teachers.
It
is
impacting
the
entire
system
Boston,
like
many
other
school
districts,
has
been
doing
what
it
believes
is
best,
and
it
is
high
time
for
the
Commonwealth
to
step
up
and
do
its
part
to
deliver
on
the
promise
I'm
one
of
the
biggest
proponents
of
smart
funding,
equity
based
allocation
and
spending
accountability.
J
That's
not
who
we
are,
that's
not
reflective
of
our
stated
values,
and
it
certainly
does
not
help
us
realize
the
promise
of
this
country.
We
are
underfunding
education
on
the
backs
of
our
most
vulnerable
children,
betting,
on
which
of
them
will
figure
out
how
to
survive
and
as
an
institution
we've
been
standing
by
accepting
that
many
of
them
won't
all
the
while
our
failure
to
establish
an
appropriate
funding
model
continues
to
produce
disappointing
learning
outcomes
for
our
most
vulnerable
and,
as
you
just
heard,
the
impact
of
that
is
far-reaching.
J
B
Thank
You
Tunisia
and
put
in
a
fine
point
on
it
before
I
open
it
up
for
questions.
I
just
want
to
pick
up
on
something
that
Tanisha
said,
which
is
recognizing
the
advocacy
organizations
that
have
been
laboring
in
the
vineyards,
putting
them
together
the
coalition.
Turning
out
the
folks
that
you
see
in
this
room,
so
I
just
want
to
give
a
quick
shout
out
to
some
of
the
people
that
don't
often
get
a
shot
up
and
really
deserve
it,
and
folks
of
a
few
who
have
mentored
our
mentioned
already.
B
But
we've
got
Massachusetts
mentoring,
partnership,
Massachusetts
education,
justice,
Alliance,
the
collaborative
parent
leadership,
Action
Network,
the
mast
Association
of
School
Business
officials.
We've
got
a
couple
alumni
of
the
Foundation
budget
review,
Commission
itself,
Pat,
Frank,
Amano
I,
think
I
saw
over
here
and
David
Verna
Leno
from
the
mast
Association
of
school
committees
and
the
math
Association
of
School
Business
officials
directly
respectively.
We've
got
the
social-emotional
Learning
Alliance
for
Massachusetts
we've
got
Boston
higher
ground
Chelsea
collaborative
you
heard
from
we've,
got
progressive,
Massachusetts,
teach,
Plus
and
I'm
sure
I've
probably
left
someone
off
that
list.
B
K
B
So
two
two
different
questions,
both
great
ones
and
I'll-
take
them
in
reverse
order.
The
estimates
around
this
bill
are,
you
know
there
are
a
few
different
entities.
Some
you
know
watched
budgeting
groups
that
have
done
estimates
some
from
the
from
the
Commission
itself
range
from
around
nine
hundred
million
dollars
up
to
two
billion
dollars
and
that
you
know
there
are
a
lot
of
variables
that
exist
in
the
formula.
So
that's
why
you
see
a
range.
B
You
know
it
depends
on
exactly
how
we
shape
the
bill
and
it
also
depends
a
lot
on
things
that
are
unknowable
to
us
today,
as
with
any
other
endeavor
of
large
scale
in
government
or
the
private
sector,
or
anywhere
look
at
Sambas.
He
knows
that
when
you
are,
you
know
talking
about
something:
that's
not
going
to
be
fully
implemented
for
four
five
six
seven
years
you
know.
Hopefully
things
are
gonna
change,
first
of
all,
demography,
demographically.
B
Can
give
you
another
example
here
to
give
context.
It
is
my
firm
position
in
that
of
many
others
that
we
do
not
need
new
revenue
to
start
the
work
of
this
bill,
and
that
is
why
the
sense
of
urgency
right
when
we
don't
make
a
decision
for
years
and
years
while
we
wait
to
have
every
penny
in
hand,
it's
done
on
the
back
of
kids
like
Jose.
So
in
this
current
fiscal
year.
In
this
current
budget,
we
have
increased
chapter,
seventy
dollars
by
about
a
hundred
and
sixty
million
dollars,
and
that's
not
unusual
right.
B
That
is
this
does
a
lot
of
most
of
that
is
driven
by
inflation
right.
The
inflation
factors
that
are
already
in
the
law-
and
you
know,
there's
a
few
different
components
that
are
put
in
there.
If
just
again,
for
the
sake
of
example,
we
had
a
billion
dollar
bill
right.
That
was
a
billion
dollar
once
it's
fully
phased
in
and
you
phase
it
in
over
five
years
right.
L
Well,
first
is
the
one
I
think
cool
things
about
the
bill
itself
is
that
it
calls
for
a
consensus
about
it.
It's
not
just
like
hey
give
us
this
money.
It's
like
hey,
let's
make
an
intelligent
decision
about
what
the
Commonwealth
can
afford
today,
based
on
a
group
of
people,
that's
what
we
do
with
the
revenue
consensus
and
what
we
can
get
wrong
too,
but
I
think
the
idea
of
getting
it
into
law
now
says
that
hey,
you
know,
as
we
make
those
smart
decisions
about
money
over
the
long
term,
you
can
go
from.
L
You
have
to
figure
out
a
way
to
fund
that,
and
for
me
that
means
special
ed
requirements.
I
don't
get
to
cheat
on
how
much
I
spend
the
law
is
clear
or
parents
sue
us.
So
I
just
want
to
say
that,
so
the
law
is
clear
that
we
have
to
fight
the
idea
that
we
have
a
great
education
for
every
suit.
In
the
Commonwealth,
that's
clear
and
the
price
tag
we
have
to
figure
out
how
to
get
to
it.
I.
B
Also
just
want
to
clarify
something
that
you
know.
Look.
We
have
to
ask
an
answer,
these
questions
about
money,
but
it's
important
that
we
remember
the
fundamentals
that
we're
not
talking
about
extra
money,
our
new
money
right.
The
whole
point
of
the
foundation
budget
from
get-go
was
to
calculate
realistically.
What
does
it
cost
to
do?
The
basics
right
of
delivering
K
through
12
public
education?
The
foundation
budget
is
not
supposed
to
capture
everything
that
ever
needs
to
happen
in
public
schools
is
supposed
to
capture
the
basics,
and
this
is
what
we
promise.
B
Some
things
that
were
that
the
promise
act
is
seeking
to
fix
and
that
the
Commission
recommended
were
things
that
we
never
ever
got
right
even
from
day
one,
despite
good-faith
efforts
and
that's
money,
that
we
have
been
shorting
districts
and
kids
like
Jose
and
the
other
students
who
are
here
with
him
for
25
years.
So
it's
not
new
money,
it's
old
money
that
this
bill
is
talking
about.
B
B
And
you
know
the
the
momentum
in
the
progress
that
the
legislation
made
last
session
didn't
happen
by
accident.
It
happened
in
large
part
because
of
this
right
legislators
on
the
house
and
the
Senate
side
and
local
school
committees
and
superintendence
right.
They
were
hearing
from
exactly
the
people
that
you
see
in
this
room
and
the
people
that
stand
behind
them
about
the
real
pain
that
districts
large,
small
rural,
urban,
suburban
and
have
been
experiencing
for
years.
B
So
this
is
not
gonna
go
away
right
and
that
pain
is
not
going
to
go
away
so
that
momentum,
I,
think,
is
one
thing
another.
Another
factor
that
I
think
is
you
know
gives
me
optimism
is
that
there
are
that
many
folks
on
Beacon
Hill
in
the
time
since
the
end
of
legislative
session
last
July
have
expressed
that
this
is
a
priority
issue
that
we
are
going
to
tackle
this
year
and
then,
finally-
and
equally
importantly,
I
say
it's
time
we
were,
we
were
very
compressed
at
the
end
of
the
legislative
session.
B
By
the
time
we
got
a
bill
through
both
chambers
and
into
conference
committee.
We
had
a
mere
week
and
we
worked
feverishly
for
that
week
in
the
conference
committee,
but
a
week
is
a
very
small
amount
of
time
to
negotiate
a
bill
of
this
scale.
Well,
you
know
this
is
again
as
I
mentioned
the
beginning,
something
of
generational
scale
and
statewide
breadth,
so
we're
gonna
have
more
time
to
get
it
done
this
year.
B
Formula
one
of
the
implications
of
having
two
competing
bills
and
could
that
if
you
really
have
that
stuff
I,
you
know
I've
now
been
in
this
building
for
10
years
as
a
senator
and
I
can
tell
you
without
hesitation
that
whether
where
there's
a
will
there's
a
way,
so
no
I,
don't
worry
about
that.
You
know
we're.
Gonna
have
a
healthy
small,
D
democratic
debate
about
this,
but
I
do
think.
B
B
It
has
been
about
eight
years
since
the
work
to
get
the
foundation
budget
Review
Commission
previously
called
adequacy
study
right
first
really
started
in
earnest,
and
it
has
been
three
years
since
that
bipartisan
Commission
gave
us
the
legislature
a
very
clear
roadmap
of
how
to
fix
the
broken
formula,
and
so
there's
been
a
lot
of
work
done
on
this
already
there's
a
lot
of
bipartisan
betting
that
has
gone
on.
That
is
what
you
know.
The
the
Commission
itself
was
a
bipartisan
Commission
that
really
did
a
deep
dive.
B
We
spent
a
lot
of
hours
together,
some
of
them
in
this
very
room,
duking
it
out
right
and-
and
we
came
out
with
the
unanimous
set
of
recommendations
from
that
commission.
The
Committee
on
education,
which
is
a
bicameral
bipartisan
sampling
of
legislators
from
the
legislature,
also
endorsed
the
bill
unanimously.
All
seven
members
of
the
Republican
caucus
now
six
but
seven
of
endorse
the
bill.
We're
closed
monsters
of
the
bill.
M
I'd
be
interested
in
asking
some
of
the
mayor's
about
the
idea
that
the
mass
Business
Alliance
for
education
had
to
take
some
of
this
money
and
say:
let's
use
it
to
what
to
catalyze
some
competitive
ideas
with
different
districts
to
to
do
new,
creative
things,
achievement
gap,
closing
things
and
then
perhaps
your
city
seen
some
of
this
acceleration
academies
or
maybe
some
of
those
proposals.
So
what
do
you
think
of
that
of
that
idea
to
have
some
of
the
money
used
for
like.
L
L
You
can
ask
Commissioner
now
Commissioner
Riley
that
he
thought
that
the
secret
sauce
was
those
stuff
that
happened
outside
the
classroom
in
these
extracurricular
activities
and
so
that
this
money
goes
to
that
already
I
get
concerned
about
talking
about
ideas.
I
exerted
about
funding
ideas
for
bettering
education
without
funding
the
basic
ideas
that
we
know
works.
L
Must
have
if
I
wanted
to
want
to
burn
it
to
ten
principals
who
said.
Oh,
this
is
this
great
idea
about
the
extent
using
the
time
giving
teachers
time
to
plan?
That's
such
a
great
idea.
We've
been
telling
you
that
forever,
and
so
we
in
because
we
have,
we
have
an
extension
extended
class
because
we
have
an
extended
day
what
we
do
with
some
of
that
time.
L
In
the
extended
days
teacher
get
teachers
getting
their
kids
are
in
extracurricular
activities
and
they
get
to
plan,
and
so,
but
that
means,
if
you
want
the
teacher
to
be
in
the
classroom
three
more
hours
a
day,
you
have
to
pay
them
two
more
hours
a
day
and
so
I
would
say.
I
would
suggest
you
that
we
have
the
innovation
baked
in
and
I
and
I
would
challenge
even
some
of
the
idea
that
that
there's
needs
to
be
new
innovation,
because
I'm
not
sure
that,
where
we've
got
this.
L
And
I
think
that
if
you,
if
you
make
the
budget
right,
you
can
get
there
and
by
the
way
in
case
you
don't
know
that
Lawrence
does
have
a
collective
bargaining
agreement
with
their
teachers.
So
it's
not
like
we're
doing
it
outside
the
the
unions,
the
framework
and
then
you
just
bargain
it
and
you
pay
for
them
to
come.
You
can
get
there
I
think,
but
but
you
can't
get
there.
If
you
don't
have
enough
money
in
the.
M
N
We
have
a
longer
school
day
as
well
and
mayor
of
air
and
I.
What
we
have
in
common
is
both
our
districts
or
in
receivership,
and
so
the
conversation
for
us
shouldn't
be
on
what
districts
should
go
to
a
longer
school
day.
But
how
do
we
get
the
basics
right
for
every
district?
So
why
just
Holyoke?
Why
Jeff
Lowrance
need,
along
with
school
day?
How
can
we
level
the
playing
field
for
all
districts
right?
N
So
why
do
kids
in
Holyoke
getting
cheated
on
after
school
opportunities
or
teachers
aren't
getting
compensated
for
that
extra
hour
and
a
half
that
they
would
be
getting
compensated
in
other
districts?
And
so
you
know
we
have
a
talent
retention
problem
in
Holyoke
as
well,
so
we're
in
western
mass
we're
not
lucky
to
be
in
the
suburbs
of
Boston,
with
the
salaries
and
things
like
that.
N
So
we
have
to
be
competitive
for
teachers
in
Holyoke,
but
for
us
it's
really
about
leveling
the
playing
field
we've
been
under
receivership
for
about
over
three
years
now-
and
you
know,
we've
seen
some
of
the
some
of
the
data
move,
but
as
mayor
Rivera
alluded
to
before,
we
were
expected
to
continue
to
do
more,
make
more
progress
with
less
money.
Even
under
state
receivership.
We've
had
a
couple
million
zuv
dollars
out
of
our
budget,
layoff
teachers
increased
class
sizes.
N
At
the
very
time
the
Department
of
Education
is
telling
us
to
increase
outcomes
for
students,
mind
you.
A
t
percent
of
our
students
are
students
of
color,
mostly
Latino
Puerto
Rican.
We've
absorbed
300
additional
students
from
Puerto
Rico
after
Hurricane
Maria.
We
certainly
welcome
all
of
those
students
and
those
families
that
make
our
city
a
better
place,
but
we
want
to
make
sure
that
every
kid,
no
matter
what
neighborhood
they
live
in,
they
look
like
what
language
do
they
speak?
Can
Greta
get
a
great
education
in
the
Holy
of
public
schools.
B
We
need
to
get
back
to
school
and
work
in
the
absence
of
the
hand.
I
will.
Just
sort
of
you
know,
give
a
little
closing
I
thought
on
the
passion.
Even
I
was
interrupted
to
be,
which
is
fine,
which
is
you
know
the
whole
sort
of
theory
of
action
and
thrust
of
education,
reform
and
and
I'll
go
ahead,
and
you
know
say
it:
a
move
to
expand
charter
schools
in
Massachusetts
has
been,
and
not
just
charter
schools.
You
know
whether
it's
an
innovation
zones,
you
know
the
different
sort
of
flavors.
Of
this.