Dear State Representatives,
Our local public schools face a growing and dire funding crisis, and we need the state to step up and support our students. The recently released House FY26 budget takes several significant steps toward delivering the funding our schools and students need, including increasing per pupil minimum aid to $160, proposing an enrollment decline mitigation fund, and funding the Special Education Circuit Breaker at 75% eligibility for reimbursement. By supporting critical K-12 school funding amendments in the House budget next week, you have an important opportunity to chart a stronger course for our nation-leading public education system.
As we reach the end of the Student Opportunity Act’s six-year implementation period, we have the chance to continue advancing toward an education system that fully supports every student throughout their educational journey. But the progress we’ve made toward repairing past inequities in education funding is threatened by the high inflation of the past few years, which is forcing districts across the state to make impossible choices. Federal changes impacting our schools and students have made the outlook even worse.
As a result of high inflation not accounted for in the Chapter 70 funding formula, districts across the state are being forced to cut their budgets, lay off educators and staff, and cancel long-needed investments in programs such as Advanced Placement, arts, and music. Inflation exceeded 7% in FY23 and FY24, but Chapter 70 funding only increased by 4.5%. The costs our students and schools face for out-of-district special education, school transportation, health insurance, and school building projects have increased at an even higher rate. That means cuts to programs our students depend on.
And as immigrant families face the challenge of surviving under the administration’s deportation regime, families are living in fear and keeping children home from school to avoid ICE. As a result, school enrollment has dropped in dozens of Massachusetts communities this year. Fewer students means cuts to funding — and real consequences — for everyone.
On behalf of tens of thousands of students, parents, caregivers, educators, and community members across the state, we ask you to support the following amendments to the House’s FY27 budget:
- Amendment #41 filed by Rep. Margaret Scarsdale – Ensuring Adequate and Equitable Funding for Public Education
- Amendment #316 filed by Rep. Jim Hawkins – In District School Transportation
- Amendment #389 filed by Rep. Sean Reid – Community Schools Program
- Amendment #1066 filed by Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid – Charter School Reimbursements
- Amendment #1203 filed by Rep. Jim Hawkins – Strengthening the Special Education Circuit Breaker Program
- Amendment #1284 filed by Rep. Orlando Ramos – Chapter 70 Inflation Adjustment
- Amendment #1586 filed by Rep. Adam Scanion – Special Commission on Chapter 70 Funding
- Amendment #1713 filed by Rep. Marjorie Decker – Whole Child Grant Program
We look forward to your support of these much-needed amendments that will ensure that all students in Massachusetts receive the support they need to thrive.
Thank you,
Vatsady Sivongxay, Executive Director, Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA)
Jessica Tang, President, American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts (AFT MA)
Keondre McClay, Executive Director, Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA)
Erik Berg, President, Boston Teachers Union (BTU)
Lisa Guisbond, Executive Director, Citizens for Public Schools (CPS)
Viviana M. Abreu-Hernández, President, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget)
Tatiana Begault, Executive Director, Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (MassCOSH)
Alicia Thomas, Co-Director, Pa’lante Transformative Justice (Pa’lante)
Jonathan Cohn, Policy Director, Progressive Mass (PM)
Vanny Huot, Director, Revere Youth in Action (RYiA)
MEJA is a coalition led by Massachusetts students, parents, educators, school and college staff, and education advocates with a shared vision: that all students, regardless of income, race, gender, identity, religion, birthplace, or abilities, have access to high-quality, equitable, and democratically controlled public education that addresses the educational needs of the whole student and where every student thrives to reach their full potential.