Rep. Lewis Testifies at Hearing to Update School Funding Formula

State Representative Jason Lewis testified last week at a public hearing held by the Joint Committee on Education in support of legislation he has filed to update and reform the Chapter 70 school funding formula, which determines the amount of state aid each school district receives annually.

Rep Lewis’ bill, An Act reviving the foundation budget review commission, would re-establish and update the foundation budget review commission which was called for in the original 1993 law that created the Chapter 70 formula.  This commission would recommend necessary changes to the Chapter 70 formula based on current educational needs, resource requirements, and best practices.

“In 1993 when the Chapter 70 formula and foundation budget were created, nobody had heard of the Internet, autism was still a relatively rare diagnosis, and healthcare costs had not yet exploded,” said Rep. Lewis.  “A lot has changed in the past 20 years which has created significant challenges for our public schools and that is why we need to update the Chapter 70 formula.”

Rep. Lewis was joined at the public hearing by representatives from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, and Massachusetts Association of School Committees, all of whom testified in support of the bill.

 
Rep. Lewis also testified in support of another piece of legislation which he has co-sponsored, An Act relative to education funding, which would codify a 2007 legislative agreement that each school district should receive at least 17.5% of their foundation budget from the state in Chapter 70 aid.  While efforts have been made by the state legislature to bring each affected community up to this target level, many school districts have yet to reach this minimum aid level.

“Both of these bills are vital to reforming our education funding system in Massachusetts to ensure that all our public schools receive adequate and equitable funding,” continued Rep. Lewis.

These bills will be considered by the Joint Committee on Education before moving forward in the legislative process.