Public Policy Updates: January Board of Education

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met for their regular January meeting on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The agenda for the meeting can be found here; the video of the meeting is available here. 

The meeting opened with brief remarks from Senator Jason Lewis (who represents the area around the Department) regarding the Student Opportunity Act. Chair Katherine Craven thanked him and the Legislature for their work; he in turned thanked the Department, singling out the finance department in particular, for their work supporting the legislation, commenting "we lost track of how many models we ran" during the deliberation in committee. 

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Spending Plans Required by Recently Enacted Legislation

MEMORANDUM
TO: Massachusetts School Committee Members
FROM: Glenn Koocher, Executive Director, MASC
DATE: January 10, 2020
RE: Spending Plans Required by Recently Enacted Legislation

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Public Policy Updates: State's economic future debated at consensus revenue hearing

Each year before proposing and agreeing upon a budget, the two chambers of the Legislature and the Governor's office agree on the amount of money they will plan to spend that coming year. To begin this process for fiscal year 2021, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means together with the Office of Administration and Finance held a consensus revenue hearing, at which they heard invited testimony regarding the current and next fiscal year's outlook for the Massachusetts economy and the revenue it will bring to the state.

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Legislative Bulletin - S.2412 Education Reform Conference Committee Report

The legislature has sent to the governor’s desk the bill addressing changes to Chapter 70, the Foundation Budget revisions, and accountability measures incorporated in what the House and Senate approved. The bill, as forwarded, is subject to possible veto or request by the governor for additional changes. MASC General Counsel Stephen Finnegan has released a new Legislative Bulletin containing an overview and analysis of the revisions as well as the original bill, and the impact on Massachusetts school districts. A more formal update will be sent as developments occur.

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Report on the 2019 Delegate Assembly

The following is a report on actions taken on the resolutions that were considered by the Delegate Assembly at the annual meeting in Hyannis on November 8.

There were 107 districts represented at the Assembly.

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Public Policy Updates: October Board of Ed

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 29 at the Department in Malden. The agenda is online here; the video of the meeting is also available. 
Public comment included a call for students to be challenged at the level at which they need challenge.

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