Chapter 70 committee tries to bring more money to schools
Published on September 12th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - The Stoneham Chapter 70 Committee wants to change the formula the state uses to fund public education.
“We need to understand more about the formula and proposed changes so we can come up with strategies to effect change,” said Chapter 70 Committee Chairman John Warren.
The Committee has been meeting this summer and reviewing the Report of the Foundation Budget Review Commission released in June.
The Stoneham Committee includes Warren, Charles Smith, Joe Viselli, Laurel Schippa, Shelly MacNeill, Steve MacLeod, Selectmen Chairman Tony Kennedy, Finance Board Chairman Richard Gregorio, School Committee representative Dave Sheils, Superintendent of Schools Joe Connelly and School Business Manager Mike Musto.
The report was compiled by state legislators, Department of Education staffers and representatives from teachers’ and school administrators’ unions and associations. If the formula is changed as these experts recommend, Stoneham schools will get around $1.8 million more each year.
Education Reform was passed in 1993 with the goal of ensuring a quality education for all Massachusetts students. The funding formula, detailed in Chapter 70 of the act, figures out how much a school district should spend and how much the district can afford. The state pays the difference.
But recent analysis of Chapter 70 has revealed that comparable towns are not getting the same funding.
“New funding formulas, proposed in the June 2001 Foundation Budget Review Commission Report, indicate that your community, like ours would gain a million dollars or more in additional state funding if these issues were corrected,” said State Representative Deborah Blumer (D-Framingham) in an Aug. 20 letter to Stoneham officials.
Blumer and other Framingham officials have formed the Alliance for Educational Equity to lobby the state for a more equitable funding program.
“Kennedy is going to meet with the Alliance on Sept. 19,” Warren said.
Ashland and Barnstable officials have also expressed interest in joining forces with the Alliance, Warren added.
Stoneham’s State House crew is split on the issue. Senator Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield) and Representative Mike Festa (D-Melrose) have told Selectmen that they support the Review Commission report. But Representative Paul Casey (D-Winchester) does not support the proposed revisions. While some communities would benefit from the recommended revisions, others would face higher property taxes (see table in newspaper edition).
No changes to the formula will take effect until the fiscal year 2003, and the 2002 budget still seems far from complete. So, nothing will happen for some time, but communities have a lot of time to let the Legislature know what they want.
Warren anticipates public hearings on the Review Commission report. Also, local committees and citizens can write letters and make numerous visits to the State House before the big vote is taken.
Stoneham’s Chapter 70 Committee meets next on Sept. 26. Schippa briefed the Selectmen on Sept. 11.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!