Amendment #909 to H4000

Foundation Budget Review Commission Permanence

Representatives Jones of North Reading, Ferguson of Holden, Frost of Auburn, Muradian of Grafton, Vieira of Falmouth and Smola of Warren move to amend the bill by adding the following sections:-

"SECTION XX. Section 4 of chapter 70 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking section 4 in its entirety, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 4.

There shall be a foundation budget review commission to review, every 5 years, the way foundation budgets are calculated and to make recommendations for potential changes in those calculations as the commission deems appropriate. In conducting such review, the commission shall seek to determine the educational programs and services necessary to achieve the commonwealth's educational goals.

The scope of the review shall include all aspects of the school funding formula, including, but not limited to, (i) the chapter 70 inflation adjustment cap; (ii) impacts of the cost of living on school district resources; (iii) the wage adjustment factor; (iv) special education costs; (v) how to appropriately account for and fund the cost of transporting various types of students; (vi) how to best address the impact of low and declining enrollment on districts; (vii) how to best address the unique challenges faced by rural districts; (viii) the impact of the fixed 59 percent local share of the statewide foundation budget on the calculation of combined effort yield for each municipality and whether the local share should be changed; (ix) the extent to which the wealth and income measures in the formula accurately determine a municipality's ability to contribute to its foundation budget costs and whether these measures should be changed; (x) the impact of the growing number of municipalities that are subject to the 82.5 percent maximum local contribution and whether this cap should be removed or changed; and (xi) any other aspect of the school funding formula that the commission deems necessary to fulfill its mandate.

The commission shall seek to determine and recommend measures to promote the adoption of ways in which resources can be most effectively utilized and consider various models of efficient and effective resource allocation. In carrying out the review, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall provide to the commission any data and information the commissioner considers relevant to the commission's charge.

The commission shall include the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education, who shall serve as co-chairs, the secretary of education, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, the commissioner of early education and care, the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee, the president of the senate or a designee, the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee, the minority leader of the senate or a designee, the governor or a designee, the chair of the house committee on ways and means or a designee, the chair of the senate committee on ways and means or a designee and 1 member to be appointed by each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc., the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, Inc., the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc., the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc., the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc., the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools, Inc. and the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials. Members shall not receive compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall furnish reasonable staff and other support for the work of the commission. Prior to issuing its recommendations, the commission shall conduct not fewer than 4 public hearings across regions of the commonwealth. The commission shall be considered a special commission established by section 2A of chapter 4 and shall be subject to the provisions of said section 2A of chapter 4. It shall not constitute a violation of chapter 268A for state employee or a person employed by a school district to serve on the commission or to participate in commission deliberations that may have a financial impact on the district employing that person, on the commonwealth, or on the rate at which that person may be compensated. The commission may establish procedures to ensure that no such person participates in commission deliberations that may directly affect the school districts employing those persons or that may directly affect the rate at which those persons are compensated.

SECTION XX. The first report by the commission established pursuant to section 4 of chapter 70 shall be filed on or before November 1, 2026."

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #909 to H4000

Foundation Budget Review Commission Permanence