State News

Area lawmakers active in crafting landmark education bill

Posted on Thursday, November 21st, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Dusty Crhistensen, Hampshire Daily Gazette
Date: 11/20/2019
Link: Complete Article

BOSTON — It was a joyous atmosphere on Beacon Hill Wednesday as the state Legislature unanimously passed the $1.5 billion Student Opportunity Act school funding bill. And western Massachusetts lawmakers have their fingerprints all over the legislation. The landmark compromise legislation is a significant overhaul of the state’s Chapter 70 education funding formula. It was… [Read More]

Mass. Early Educators Will Get A Raise After State Board Vote

Posted on Friday, October 11th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Matt Murphy, WBUR
Date: 10/10/2019
Link: Complete Article

Early educators are getting a raise after the Board of Early Education and Care voted Wednesday for a $20 million rate increase to be put toward improved programming and higher salaries for teachers and staff, according to the Baker administration. The funding was approved by the Legislature as part of the fiscal 2020 budget signed by Gov…. [Read More]

More state aid for rural schools this year

Posted on Friday, August 23rd, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Anita Fritz, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 8/22/2019
Link: Complete Article

Sen. Adam Hinds asked for and received $1 million more from the state’s Rural School Aid grant program this year, increasing the budget to $2.5 million and leaving superintendentsthroughout Franklin County waiting to see just how much of the pie they’ll get. “The fight for equal opportunity through education means we need to ensure all… [Read More]

Mass. Schools Get More Money In The Latest Budget. A Lot More Is Likely On The Way

Posted on Thursday, July 25th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Max Larkin, WBUR
Date: 7/24/2019
Link: Complete Article

At first glance, the state’s much delayed fiscal 2020 budget — more appropriately a $43.1 billion spending blueprint for the next 12 months — appears to have been a win for the more conservative House membership. Both branches passed the bill on Monday with only one dissenting vote, thus making it virtually veto proof as… [Read More]

Schools end blizzard bag program after state cancels initiative

Posted on Monday, July 15th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Grace Bird, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 7/15/2019
Link: Complete Article

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education canceled the “blizzard bag” initiative late last month, citing concerns about equal access to the program. Blizzard bags are educational materials allocated to students to complete at home on snow days. Each bag counts as one day of attendance, meaning schools do not need to tack on an… [Read More]

New Bedford High School’s Takeru Nagayoshi is Mass. Teacher of the Year

Posted on Thursday, May 16th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Aimee Chiavaroli, Providence Journal
Date: 5/15/2019
Link: Complete Article

NEW BEDFORD — Senior TaShawn Arabian will be attending Brown University in the fall just like his English teacher Takeru Nagayoshi did. Arabian said he’s looked up to Nagayoshi as a teacher and a role model, someone who’s pushed him to be the best he can be. Without him, Arabian said he doesn’t think he… [Read More]

Driving Through Mud: How Rural Mass. Schools Are Coping With Rising Transportation Costs

Posted on Friday, April 12th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Carrie Jung, WBUR
Date: 3/12/2019
Link: Complete Article

It’s hard for rural schools in Massachusetts to get kids to and from class every day — especially now, in muddy season, when the snow has melted and the rain begins. “This is mud and ruts and a mess,” says bus driver Joanne Deady as she points to the narrow, unpaved road on her route… [Read More]

Voc-Tech investments pair needs of students, industry

Posted on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Colin A. Young, Marblehead Reporter
Date: 3/19/2019
Link: Complete Article

BOSTON – Lawmakers, a former top Baker administration and city manager, and a one-time lieutenant governor joined advocates Monday to call for an increase in funding for vocational-technical education and passage of a bill to expand access to those programs. The Alliance for Vocational Technical Education said that 20 percent of Massachusetts high school students… [Read More]

Orange: state shortchanges its SPED funding by $3.5 million

Posted on Thursday, February 28th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: David McLellan, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 2/27/2019
Link: Complete Article

ORANGE — It’s not just rural schools feeling left behind by the 25-year-old formula for state aid, it’s schools with a high number of special education students too. Unfortunately, Orange’s elementary schools are both, and the special education issue is costing Orange taxpayers about $3.5 million a year, town officials calculate. The town Finance Committee… [Read More]

Baker to file stand-alone education bill

Posted on Wednesday, January 9th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Matt Murphy, Worcester Telegram
Date: 1/7/2019
Link: Complete Article

BOSTON – Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday he’s “optimistic” that the Legislature and his administration can reach a deal to reform public education funding by the summer, despite past attempts falling apart in recent years when talks between House and Senate Democrats broke down. Baker, in his inaugural address, said he would be filing a… [Read More]