OPINION: Education doesn't take a palace
Apr 9, 2008 3:33 PM
It's no accident that four of the five projects approved last week by the
Massachusetts School Building Authority involve renovations rather than new
construction. Districts unable to contain the impulse to spend lavishly will not
find a willing partner in the School Building Authority, which manages costs and
reimburses cities and towns for a portion of their school building expenses.
Click here to read The
Boston Globe article.
FROM JANUARY 2008: Inflation and operating costs in Massachusetts have far outpaced
spending on education, putting intense financial pressure on school districts
across the state, according to a report from the Massachusetts Department of
Education. The department found that healthcare, salaries, and special education
program costs have escalated sharply since 2003, while state funding has
remained stagnant. As a result, cities and towns have had to shoulder a greater
portion of the burden, raising property taxes and instituting fees for
once-standard services, such as bus transportation and athletics.
Click here to read The
Boston Globe article.
FROM MAY 2007: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick appears to be laying the
groundwork for an overhaul of state education funding. At an appearance before
the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Patrick issued some of his
most pointed comments to date, saying the state can no longer afford to rely on
the local property tax to fund public education.
Click
here to read The Boston Globe article.
