Ten Percent Cut in Chapter 70, General Aid to Education
Almost 320 million dollars has been cut from Chapter 70 in the House Ways and Means version of the state budget for F.Y. 2003. You may access the MASC website in order to determine your communities local aid figure. Based upon a presentation by House Ways and Means Chairman John Rogers on April 23, 2002 at the MASC Day on the Hill, tax options including a freeze in income tax roll back and an increase to the cigarette tax, will be debated possibly as early as April 30, 2002. It would appear that only increased tax revenues would mitigate the proposed reductions in education funding. The legislators are anxious to hear your support of their efforts to raise tax revenue. It is important to note that Senate President Birmingham, at our Day on the Hill, pledged to find a way to level fund Chapter 70, which would also necessitate tax revenues.

Funding in Budget for Special Education Circuit Breaker
H.5100 contains an increase of nearly $62 million (which doubles the prior appropriation) to fund the provisions of the special education circuit breaker, which is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2002. The costs of in-district special education programs are scheduled to be reimbursed at 80% of approved costs that exceed approximately $21,000, while out of district programs are scheduled to be reimbursed at 65% of approved costs that exceed approximately $28,000.00. This appropriation may also be used to fund FY02 tuition. School Building Assistance

Payments Suspended For Fiscal Year 2003
H.5100 has reduced by nearly 50 million dollars the prior year funding level for School Building Assistance first annual payments. This proposed reduction applies to desegregation and non-desegregation projects. This budgetary action will have the effect for F.Y. 2003 of suspending all first annual payments.

MCAS Remediation Funds Reduced
H.5100 has recommended cuts of 30 million dollars from the F.Y. 2002 funding level of 50 million dollars.

Early Childhood, Kindergarten, Headstart, Metco, and Early Literacy Grants Reduced
The F.Y. 2002 appropriation for Early Childhood grants was approximately 104 million dollars. H.5100 recommends a reduction of 34 million dollars in Early Childhood grants.

H.5100 recommends the reduction of five million dollars for Kindergarten Expansion grants from the F.Y. 2002 amount of 31 million dollars.

The House Ways and Means Budget recommends the reduction of 8 million dollars for Early Literacy grants, which in F.Y. 2002 were funded at approximately 20 million dollars.

H.5100 recommends a 50% reduction in Head Start grants by cutting 3.4 million dollars.
Metco funding for F.Y. 2003 has been reduced by 5.7 million dollars from the F.Y. 2002 appropriation of approximately 15 million dollars.

Public School and Regional School Transportation Funding Reduced
The dramatically under funded public school transportation account has been cut in this budget by nearly 6 million dollars to a recommended appropriation of 51.8 million dollars.

As you are aware, for the past few years Regional School Transportation has been restored to full funding; however, H.5100 recommends a reduction of 10.5 million dollars from the F.Y. 2002 level of 51 million dollars.

Reductions to Sending District Charter School Reimbursements, Student and School Assessments, Adult Basic Education, School Based Comprehensive Health Education
Reimbursements to Charter Schools sending districts have been recommended by House Ways and Means to be reduced by 4.3 million dollars from an F.Y. 2002 appropriation of 32.7 million dollars.

Student and school assessment monies have been cut by 3.5 million dollars from an F.Y. 2002 appropriation of 22 million dollars.

Adult Education Grants have been reduced by 2.6 million dollars from an F.Y. 2002 appropriation of approximately 30 million dollars.

Nearly 1.6 million dollars has been cut from school based comprehensive health grants, which represents a cut of 10%.

Magnet Ed (1.3 million), Equal Ed. Improvement (2.3 million), Enrollment Growth Aid (5 million), K-3 Class Size Reduction (18 million), After School Programs (3.5 million), Mass. Ed. On line Assistance (775, 000) Advanced Placement (465,000), Gifted and Talented Grants (407,000) have been eliminated.