Massachusetts

Systems Initiative
Recommendations for Chapter 70 Budget and Funding Formula Deliberations
As members of the Massachusetts Systems Initiative, we provide the following statement
as recommendations for Chapter 70 budget and funding formula deliberations.

The Massachusetts Education Systems Transformation Initiative is a cross-sector collaborative

network, convened with the purpose of ensuring all Massachusetts students are positioned
to succeed – in school, work and life. We are guided by the belief that each child, regardless
of their socioeconomic status, race or gender, has the right to thrive in life as a contributing
member of a healthy, diverse, democratic and equitable society. Our work focuses on
developing and implementing systemic solutions that can transform education in the
Commonwealth towards this goal.

Now is the Time for Transformation

At this moment, Massachusetts has the unique opportunity to leverage political and public will for change.
When we invest in our children’s futures, the benefits for all residents last for generations. Though we have
always been a leader in education, opportunity and achievement gaps persist, particularly among
low-income and students of color. With the recent budget proposals, Massachusetts must embrace the
opportunity to change key funding structures that contribute to this inequity.
We are not solely advocating for increased funding – that is the starting point. How the funding is distributed
is critical for ensuring that Massachusetts schools can fulfill their promise to prepare all students to succeed.
Resources need to be allocated with strong priority for low-income, high-needs students if we collectively
hope to initiate the type of transformational change needed for each and every student to experience the
education they deserve.
Our Budget Recommendations
As the legislature deliberates, our diverse set of leaders have agreed that the specific budget
recommendations below are paramount. Without them, our communities – and our children – will be unable
to reach their full potential.

More Chaptor 70 support, more quickly, to benefit

those in need.
Phase in additional funding over five years, to a level
of at least $1.5 billion additional annual funding adjusted
for inflation. This includes:
• Fund health costs at GIC rates
• Increase special ed rate to 4% and 5% (vocational)
and capture and fund all out-of-district costs
• Increase ELL increment to $2,500 per pupil for
K-12/vocational
• Set extra increment of aid per low income student
at 90%-100% above the average student cost
• Add $1,050 per pupil for districts implementing early
college and career programs
• Increase the Foundation Budget for counseling and
behavioral health
• Fully fund charter school reimbursement
 Use the funds to support transformation.
Provide flexibility for districts and schools in using the extra low-income aid, so that they
can choose from multiple evidence-informed strategies and supports including social emotional learning,
mental and physical health, professional development and planning time, quality curriculum, early
education, extended day, reduced class size and community engagement.
We also believe these funds would be critical to engage communities with schools in culturally relevant
learning, significantly improve teacher professional development opportunities and increase the number
of educators and school leaders of color.
Ensure accountability and transparency.
Under all proposed budgets, schools and districts should develop detailed plans regarding how new
resources will be used. All districts should have the resources to access technical support entities
to aid districts in ensuring that all plans are rigorous and of high-quality.
Plans will be developed with community input, and progress will be tracked to inform continuous district
improvement in reducing achievement and opportunity gaps.

Core Elements
In addition, we have established a set of core elements that we believe must be included in any final
legislation that becomes law.
• Focus on children. We must be prepared to make smart public policy decisions on how education
dollars will be spent, constantly considering the needs of children first.
• Support the communities that need it most. We must address achievement and opportunity gaps that
impact our students demonstrating the highest need and living in the lowest-income communities.
• Increase funding for Massachusetts education at an accelerated pace. We need to place education
funding on the fast track and prioritize implementation.
• Focus on deep and broad system change rather than incrementalism. Implement comprehensive
approaches to shifting the education system to significantly improve outcomes for all students
and close the achievement and opportunity gaps. We must avoid settling for modest, limited improve-
ments or short-term fixes.
• Support for systems change: Achieving broad, equitable gains in student outcomes requires
changing the current system. This initiative identified four systemic levers of change to be applied
concurrently: 1) ensure holistic development of students (cognitive; social-emotional; physical and
mental health; sense of competence, future and agency); 2) empower teachers to deliver a holistic
education; 3) support families’ economic mobility and success; and 4) foster a public narrative to
support transformation and generate public will for it. System change includes the transformation
of factors both in the school system and outside of school that influence education outcomes.

Build the System Our Children Deserve

As an oft-cited national and international leader in education, the Commonwealth has an obligation
to model responsible and equitable funding of its schools. We must affirm that our prioritization of education
is matched only by our commitment to achieving equity in education. We ask that you strongly consider the
recommendations developed by this diverse group of education leaders.
We look forward to working with you this summer to see this groundbreaking school funding reform take
shape in service of Massachusetts students, families and educators.

Please note: This statement represents the collective perspective of the Massachusetts Systems Initiative
as noted here and does not express the full and comprehensive positions of each leader and organization.
 Signed

Name Title, Organization

Abby Weiss Chief Program Officer, Jumpstart
Alexandra Oliver-Davila Executive Director, Sociedad Latina
Amanda Fernandez
Andrea Silbert The Eos Foundation
Andrew Frishman Co-Executive Director, Big Picture Learning
Andy Calkins Deputy Director, Next Generation Learning Challenges
Ayele Shakur CEO, BUILD.org
Bill Walczak CEO, South End Health Center
Colin Rose Assistant Superintendent of Opportunity & Achievement Gaps, Boston Public Schools
Dan French Executive Director, Center for Collaborative Education
Diana Marcus Mobile Learning Coach, Burlington Public Schools
Eric Conti Superintendent, Burlington Public Schools
Hardin Coleman Professor
Henry Thomas III President & CEO, Urban League of Springfield
Javier Cevallos President, Framingham State University
Jennifer Davis Co-Founder, MASS 2020 and the National Center on Time and Learning
Jessica Andors Executive Director, Lawrence Community Work, Inc.
John Jackson President and CEO, Schott Foundation for Public Education
Karla Baehr
Lindsa McIntyre Principal, Jeremiah E. Burke High School
Lydia Martinez Assistant Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools
Marty Walz
Mary Bourque Superintendent, Chelsea Public Schools
Meg Ansara Founding Partner & CEO, 270 Strategies
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Paul Toner Executive Director, Teach Plus Massachusetts
Rachel Jean-Louis Teacher, Community Charter School of Cambridge
Ron Walker Executive Director, Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color
Stephen Zrike Superintendent, Holyoke Public Schools
Sydney Chaffee 2017 National Teacher of the Year
Wayne Ysaguirre
Wiliam Diehl, Dr. Executive Director, Collaborative for Educational Services