INCSpot will be providing updates as Gateway Cities go through the process of approving school budgets for the next fiscal year. Our first post was last week; here are some other recent developments that illustrate the challenges of funding schools during a time of escalating costs and revenue uncertainties. —In contrast to most Gateway City
Layoff threats, uncertainty about local aid loom over school budget process in Gateway Cities
INCSpot will be providing updates as Gateway Cities go through the process of approving school budgets for the next fiscal year. Here are some recent developments that illustrate the challenges of funding schools during a time of escalating costs and revenue uncertainties. —The most contentious budget process may be in New Bedford, where the school
Dropout danger leads to backlash against frequent school suspensions
NPR reports on a backlash against suspending high-school students and possibly putting them “on the fast track to falling behind, dropping out, and going to jail.” Opponents cite a study released in April, which highlighted the Worcester school district, that suggests the disciplinary measure is disproportionately used against “children of color and students from other
Burying the Lead?
To a striking degree, conventional wisdom holds that the future belongs to large, agglomerating cities with “thick labor markets” that support high-tech innovation. It is an article of faith advanced by influential urban economists Richard Florida and Edward Glaeser, who call for nurturing the “megaregions” that have emerged victorious from post-1970s global market restructuring. Labor
Working Cities Challenge applicants pledge to tackle education, health, economic development
The Federal Reserve Bank has released the letters of intent from applicants for a grant of up to $700,000 for an anti-poverty program in Massachusetts. The Working Cities Challenge (see previous post) is open to cities smaller than Boston with a higher-than-median poverty rate. Earlier this month, the Working Cities Challenge also released the RFP (request
Proponents of longer school days hope to make gains in state Senate’s budget
After holding ground in the House, advocates of the Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Initiative are urging the Senate to increase funding for the program, which currently provides aid to 19 schools that offer more classroom time for students. (See grant recipients here; some 90 schools statewide have some kind of program with additional school hours.)
Gateway Cities part of Vision for Massachusetts as National Leader
Commissioner Freeland recently presented the first Vision Project report, an initiative focused on making Massachusetts a national leader in public education. The report looks at how public higher education in Massachusetts stacks up to other states and lays out specific strategies and goals to boost our performance. Interestingly, Gateway Cities are pioneering many of the
Transportation costs for homeless students could transfer to the state
The cost Gateway City school districts bear transporting homeless students could be passed on to the state if the budget proposed by the House prevails. (While the House budget picks up the $11.3 million that school districts were projected to spend on transportation for homeless students in 2012, the Senate budget does not contain funding
Gateway City Education Statistics
MassINC is compiling a “bluebook” with Gateway City education trends. Here are some key highlights from Chapter 1: One in four public school students in Massachusetts is enrolled in a Gateway City district Gateway City schools enroll more than one-half of the state’s English language learners and nearly half of all low income students in the
Governor Patrick keeps a promise
Last February, Governor Patrick pledged to create a new Gateway Cities education strategy at the MassINC Gateway Cities Education Summit. The Governor made good on his pledge by including $10 million to implement his Gateway Cities education strategy, unveiled in November, in his FY 2013 budget request. Governor Patrick’s plan would provide resources to Gateway