Both houses of the Massachusetts legislature unanimously passed a major funding bill for education, directing $1.5 billion mainly to the neediest districts.
Massachusetts has long had the most successful public schools in the nation. The state is poised to build on its record of success.
The majority of the $1.5 billion set aside in the bill will go to lower-performing and underfunded school districts, which means adding more teachers, bringing back art and music classes, and increasing funds for students from low-income households.
When voters were asked to pass a referendum to expand charter schools in 2016, they overwhelmingly said no. (I write about this epic battle in my forthcoming battle in my forthcoming book SLAYING GOLIATH).
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Oh, good for them. Ohio can’t even put together a rational and legal state budget for schools. But we all got Chromebooks and a brand new set of tests and measures, so it’s cool. No one in the state is clear on what one needs to graduate high school, but it may not matter because they’ll change it again in 3 months. Always “reinventing!”
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My bet is that the charter industry sees an increase in funds, here and in other states as just another honeypot to dip into later, through their bought politicians and soup-spoons made of fascist methods. . . . they may take their time, but it’s probably another “Ode to Orwell.” CBK
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I just sent this article to my BlockHEAD Senator Niemeyer [R-IN] and Representative Chyung [D-IN]. I said that if Massachusetts can provide money for its neediest schools why can’t Indiana do something.
“Praising our ‘great Hoosier budget’ means nothing if children are not given a good education.”
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This is all that I ever hear from Niemeyer until he sends out a pamphlet that tells what a great job he and the GOP legislature is doing to get funding for schools. [not public] Be assured, my communication with him isn’t guiding him.
……………………….
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. Your communication is important. Due to the high volume of e-mails I receive, I may not be able to respond immediately but I do see every email.
Your comments help guide me in the legislative process and I value your communication.
Senator Rick Niemeyer
Indiana State Senate
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If Massachusetts schools are so “successful”, why do the residents choose to be led by people like Mitt Romney, Charlie Baker, Mitchell Chester and Jim Peyser?
Must be success does not mean the ability to think critically.
Just anecdotal, but when I lived in MA, my “Democratic” housemates voted for Mitt Romney, thought George W. Bush was a fine President and also thought microwave ovens made food radioactive.
If that’s success, I’d hate to see failure.
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The people of MA also allowed pedophile priests to go unchecked for decades, and NOT because they did not know.
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And then of course, there is the fine Massachusetts Institute of Technology, home to pedophilanthopist facilitators and apologists.
Perhaps they were/are capable of critical thinking? Not!
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Must be something in the water.
They did vote down charter expansion.
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This has been a four year struggle, since the Foundation Budget Review Commission revealed a $1-2 billion shortfall in education spending in 2015. We almost passed it last year, but at the last moment, one of the co-chairs (representative to Wellesley, one of the whitest, wealthiest Boston suburbs) reneged on the portions of funding targeted at our English language learners and our poorest kids (you can guess what color skin those kids have), falsely claiming those numbers were unknowable. As we’ve worked towards its passage this year, we’ve seen the same obstructionists float proposals like stacking local school boards with appointed members in proportion to the extra state funds those communities receive.
Though this bill passed unanimously, it still requires the governor’s signature. It wouldn’t surprise me if Baker vetoed it, just to demonstrate to his funders, the Kochs and the Waltons, his good faith effort.
In response to SomeDAM’s comment above, Charlie Baker plays a nice guy on television, and he gets to appoint the Walton heavy state board of education.
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