March 2007

Framingham & Ashland: School Budget Crisis
Local Aid information for Framingham and Ashland

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I have received many emails and calls about the proposed cuts to the Framingham Public Schools, and the present budget crunch in Ashland.

As your State Representative I am taking an active role to prevent these cuts; I have met with members of the House of Representatives leadership to generate support for increased funding and with Framingham’s local government to discuss ways to avoid immediate cuts to our students.

Also, I am working with Representative Richardson and Senator Spilka to bring additional state funding to Framingham through the budget process, specifically through additional Chapter 70 funding, recalculating the special education circuit breaker reimbursement and ways for Framingham to tap into a state reserve fund for emergency special education costs.

For Ashland, I am continuing to work with State House Leadership to insure that the changes to the Chapter 70 Formula made last year, continue to be funded for the upcoming fiscal year.

As you are aware, we have had great success in increasing Chapter 70 Aid to both Framingham and Ashland and for the first time last year succeeded in changing the Chapter 70 Formula.

Last year Framingham received an increase of $2.1 million in Chapter 70 funding, an increase of 24% – four times the state-wide increase – and this year Framingham is slated for another $2-3 million increase in funding. In fact, I have worked with my colleagues to set Framingham on a 5 year plan to more than double its Chapter 70 funding from $8.5 million in FY06 to around $20 million by FY11. When I entered the legislature Ashland and Framingham were not receiving their fair share of Chapter 70 funding. Through forming coalitions and exposing inequity in the education funding formula, last year the legislature laid out a framework to change the formula over five years that has been working effectively for Ashland and Framingham.

Here's the breakdown in numbers for Ashland:

FY06 Chapter 70: $2,710,448
FY07 Chapter 70: $3,470,347
FY08 Chapter 70: $3,970,458 (Governor's Budget)
2 Year Increase: 47%
Total Ashland Education Increase: 58%
2 Year Lottery Increase: $307,500 or 29%

Here's the breakdown in numbers for Framingham:

FY06 Chapter 70: $8,530,320
FY07 Chapter 70: $10,628,154
FY08 Chapter 70: $12,944,040 (Governor's Budget)
2 Year Difference: 52% Increase
Total Framingham Education Increase: 44%
2 Year Lottery Difference: $1,360,000 or 22%

Both Framingham and Ashland have benefited greatly by the work of our legislative delegation -- while Chapter 70 funding state-wide has raised only 10% over the past two years, both towns have seen increases in education funding of over 50%.

I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns by clicking on the link below.

To contact Tom click here...