YOUTH AND EDUCATION

Future of Education

Massachusetts should be the leader in education innovation by pioneering new ideas and implementing bold educational policies. This starts by having a clear vision of what a person's education should entail from K-12 and further if the student so chooses.

Three areas that must work together to move education forward are advanced curriculum, small class size, and technology in the classroom. For too long we have seen educators and legislators argue over funding issues, asking what program to cut rather than which to build upon?

We need a new approach to education policy. When policy is created, two questions should always be asked:

What is best for our students?

What is the opinion of our local teachers?

Charter Schools

I know and work with many wonderful people involved in the Charter School movement.  In certain situations Charter Schools allow for creative and innovative learning. For some students, there may be progression that may not have been possible in the public education environment.

However, there are serious issues with Charter School funding. These funding formulas must be reviewed and changed if necessary. For example, a recent audit of Massachusetts Charter Schools found that on average a Charter School has $1.6 million in reserve funding and usually run an 8% surplus. Charter School reserves could be limited to the same percentage as regional school districts (5%) with any excess reserves being returned to the towns where the students reside.

Source: "http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2009/02/19/audit_mass_charter_schools_flush_ with_cash/" http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2009/02/19/ audit_mass_charter_schools_flush_with_cash

Higher Education

Investment in public higher education, from community colleges to the UMass system, is crucial to the development and growth of our higher education system.

From FY 2005 to 2010, only 9 states decreased their support for public higher education. Massachusetts cut the most of any -- by 25.6%.  During the current recession, from FY 2008 to 2010, many states decreased their support, but none cut by as much as Massachusetts (37%).

Massachusetts currently has a 33% higher tuition and fee rate (for four year institutions) and a 49% higher tuition and fee rate (for two year institutions) when compared to the national average.

Investing in our public colleges and universities has a direct impact on the economy and job growth. Not only do 85% of students in the public higher education system end up living and working in Massachusetts but for every $1 invested in the public higher education system $8 of economic activity is generated.

Finally, Massachusetts awards half the national average with regard to financial aid grants. By reinvesting in MASSGrant, the state-based financial aid program, and making a larger portion available to public college students (whose schools don't have large endowments and extensive need-based grant programs) we can create more opportunities for Massachusetts residents to further their education.

Source: http://www.grapevine.ilstu.edu/tables/FY10/GPV10_50state.pdf

http://chronicle.com/article/Massachusetts-Almanac-2009/48120/

http://www.nassgap.org/viewrepository.aspx?categoryID=3

Other Reforms: Early Education, Vocational Education, and Testing.

Other reforms are necessary for education to succeed. We need to invest in All Day Kindergarten and Early Education programs so children are learning critical skills at the earliest of age.

A renewed emphasis needs to be placed on vocational education in our public schools. These types of education not only open up other opportunities to students, but motivate them to excel in other aspects of their education.

The State needs to re-examine how we schedule education. The current model is outdated and traditional public schools should consider longer school days, staggering breaks, and flexible scheduling for high school students.

Finally, MCAS needs to be reformed so that multiple assessments can be performed on students. For example, 72% of the students in the Class of 2009 who failed to pass one or more high school MCAS tests had a disability. A comprehensive set of assessment measures could better determine a student's eligibility for a high school diploma rather than a single test.

Encourage Peer Mentors and Tax Credits for User Fees:

In 2007 Saugus had the highest per capita hospitalization rate for heroin use on the North Shore. Saugus also had the highest percentage of residents admitted to the hospital for any sort of substance abuse.

Drug prevention starts at the local level and starts with peer mentoring programs. To encourage this, the state should provide for more scholarships to students willing to mentor their younger peers.

Furthermore, students who participate in extracurricular activities like drama, music, and sports are at a much lower risk of drug and substance abuse.  To make sure all students have equal access to these programs, the state should provide tax credits (dollar-for-dollar reimbursement) on extracurricular user fees. The Wakefield School Committee sponsored this type of legislation, presenting it to Rep. Mark Falzone, Rep. Katherine Clark, and Sen. Richard Tisei. Both Rep. Clark and Sen. Tisei agreed to sponsor the bill, and Rep. Clark even spoke on its behalf. As a legislator I want to make sure cost is never a reason as to why students do not participate in after school activities.

Source:  http://www.wickedlocal.com/saugus/news/x381219310/Heroin-abuse-alarms-officials