School Funding in Mass: What Does Every Parent Need to Know?
Do your schools provide enough resources to students in your community? Do you ever wonder why some schools have more resources than others? How does funding in your school district work?
According to a 2015 bipartisan Foundation Budget Review Commission Report, Massachusetts schools are underfunded by $1 billion and $2 billion! So what is being done to solve this education crisis?
Join us as we talk to two state experts to understand the answers to these questions.
- Colin Jones, Senior Policy Analyst, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center
- Tracy O'Connell Novick, Field Director, Massachusetts Association of School Committees
- Marianna Islam (moderator), Director of Programs & Advocacy, Schott Foundation for Public Education
Investing in Safe, Supportive and Police-Free Schools
Black and Brown students are demanding that their school districts end the school-to-prison pipeline and invest in solutions that create a true sense of safety, dignity and opportunity for learning. They are advocating for schools that are sufficiently resourced, affirming of their identities, provide culturally responsive social and emotional learning, and offer mental health supports to students who need them. Students are also calling on school officials to decriminalize their learning environments from racially unjust policies and practices — including the removal of police from our schools.
Our speakers include:
- Brittany Brathwaite, Organizing and Innovation Manager, Girls for Gender Equity
- Tyler Whittenberg, Deputy Director, Advancement Project’s Ending the Schoolhouse-to-Jailhouse Track
- Marianna Islam (moderator), Director of Programs & Advocacy, Schott Foundation for Public Education
