School Comm. and state legislators fight for more education dollars
Published on February 2nd, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham's State House representation sat next to the School Committee last Thursday to make battle plans in the fight to increase education funding.
A problem with the base level set in 1993 at the beginning of Education Reform has left Stoneham in a tough spot: Stoneham receives $869 per pupil from the state, compared to $1,175 for Wakefield and $1,218 for Reading. Multiply this difference by the 3,000-plus students in Stoneham public schools, and the inequity tops a million dollars.
State Senator Richard Tisei (R-3rd Middlesex) and State Representatives Paul Casey (D-34th Middlesex) and Michael Festa (D-35th Middlesex) asked the committee what they could do.
School Committee member Stephen Gucciardi wants the funding formula changed.
"Why can't it reflect ability of a community to pay, looking at income (rather than assessed property values)?" Gucciardi asked.
Finance Committee member John Warren said the state should allow communities who have been shortchanged by the formula to catch up.
"We want a correction," Warren said — a greater percentage increase in Chapter 70 education funding for communities such as Stoneham until per pupil spending is similar for similar districts.
The legislators said the fiscal 2001 budget may not address the funding gap; the Governor's first budget draft cut $15 million which had been set aside for the purpose of equalizing Chapter 70 distribution.
But the legislators did promise to fight for state money from other sources: "pothole money," new special education funding plans, and School Building Assistance Bureau (SBAB) money.
"Pothole money," as state Foundation Reserve Grant money has come to be known, is set aside for pressing, one-time capital expenses. Stoneham applied for $255,000 in pothole money to pay for new bleachers at the High School, repairs to the High School and Middle School grounds and a new minivan for special education transportation.
Tisei, Casey and Festa wrote to the Department of Education supporting Stoneham's request.
"I have seen the town stretch its education dollars for the maximum benefit," Tisei wrote. "I can assure you...the funds will be well spent."
Festa warned the School Committee not to be overly optimistic because $50 million worth of requests have been made for the $5 million available. But all three legislators agreed Stoneham would get at least some of the money.
Casey spoke of another way state officials could help the Stoneham schools.
"There are several new bills in the works that could help you save on special education costs," Casey said.
None of the bills are in final format, but the idea behind all of them is to cap the amount of money a school district would have to pay for an out of district placement. The state would pick up the tab over $18,000 or $20,000 or $50,000.
"Would this help?" Casey asked.
"If the cap is 18 or 20, but not if it's 50,000," Connelly responded.
Tisei assured the School Committee that the 63 percent reimbursement money from SBAB was on its way to help cover the costs of Stoneham's new schools. In fiscal 2000 Stoneham will receive $5.4 million.
But Stoneham is still struggling to offer public school students the high quality of education the state demands with 10 percent less state funding than many similar communities.
School Committee Chairwoman Jeanne Craigie wanted to know what could be done now to fix this longterm problem.
Tisei and the reps all spoke of the Suburban Coalition, which is an organized effort of communities, which find themselves in the same position as Stoneham.
"The state cannot do something for Stoneham alone," Tisei said.
"We understand that," Craigie said.
The School Committee, she said, just wants to know how to get in touch with organizers of the Suburban Coalition to work together to lobby for changes in the per pupil funding formula.
The legislators said they would help the committee make that connection.
In other school news:
oThe School Committee reviewed the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test results.
Stoneham placed 53 out of 212 school districts tested and 5 out of 10 in the Middlesex League. Stoneham outpaced the state average in every area except 4th grade math on which Stoneham was even with the state. In response, the school department has developed a new math curriculum.
Also, a new social studies curriculum is in the first year of implementation. A new science curriculum is in development. And courses in test preparation will be offered at the Middle School in the coming years.
One parent asked if the schools would teach to the tests, limiting the creative spirit of education.
"The teachers will teach to the broad frameworks developed, and if the children learn that material, we are confident they will do well on the tests," Connelly said.
Beginning with the class of 2003 public school students must pass the tenth grade MCAS exams in English and math to graduate high school.
oThe School Committee gave Connelly the go-ahead to join the School Threat Assessment and Response System (S.T.A.R.S.) organized by the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council.
S.T.A.R.S. provides crisis training to educators and administrators and creates a network of communities, which can share information and advice in preventing and dealing with problems in the schools.
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