Budget Amendment ID: FY2022-S3-226-R1

Redraft EDU 226

MSBA

Mr. Finegold moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 60 the following section:-

“SECTION 60A. (a) There shall be a special commission to study the fairness and equity of the grant funding formula of the Massachusetts School Building Authority and the capacity of the Massachusetts School Building Authority to meet current and future school building needs in the commonwealth.

(b) The commission shall consist of: 1 member appointed by the senate president who shall serve as co-chair; 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives who shall serve as co-chair; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; the secretary of education or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority or a designee; 3 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a gateway city, 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated expertise in the design and construction of green buildings and 1 of whom shall be an individual with demonstrated expertise in the design and construction of school buildings; 1 member appointed by the state treasurer; and 1 person from each of the following organizations, or their successor organizations, if applicable: the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; the Massachusetts Mayors Association, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; the Central Massachusetts Chapter of the American Institute for Architects; the Boston Society of Architects; the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts, Inc.; and the Massachusetts Building Trades Council.

(c) The commission shall investigate and make recommendations on: (i) the current and future need to renovate and rebuild school buildings in the commonwealth and the available state and local resources available to do so; (ii) the existing grant formula and potential modifications to the grant formula to ensure fairness and equity for all communities; (iii) the alignment of construction cost reimbursement relative to the actual cost of construction and other reimbursement policies; (iv) the calculation of the community poverty factor and alignment with the methodology for counting low income students in the chapter 70 formula; (v) incentive percentage points, including, but not limited to, how incentive percentage points are calculated for municipalities that qualify for 80 per cent reimbursement; (vi) reimbursement for construction costs and other reimbursement policies for regional technical and vocational schools due to their unique capital needs; and (vii) any other pertinent issues that relate to school building assistance.

(d) The commission shall submit a report of its findings to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on education and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than October 1, 2022.”.