School committees lobby legislators
Today was the annual “Day on the Hill” for active members of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) as hundreds of us descended on the State House to learn about statewide issues impacting our schools, meet with legislators, enjoy an incredible lunch with them prepared by culinary students from all over the state, and advocate for changes in education formulas and funding. A popular gathering (not only because of the food, although I heard the only other group that delivers a feast of this magnitude is the lobster industry), the annual event provides committee members with information on legislation and budgetary issues that directly impact our schools as well as the opportunity for face-to-face time with legislators. Now those who know me, know, I can be found lobbying at all times and locations, whether I run into my state senator at the local coffee shop or I see my rep while serving lunch at the Senior Center—I am going to be tempted to pitch them for something. (I can’t help it. It seems wasteful not to.) But it is different at the State House where the laws are made and the funding issues ultimately decided. There’s a formal sense of history and power there that adds weight to any discussion. That said, I didn’t get to speak to either of them today. (It was the kind of day that started with me missing the train, seeing a young dog hit on Route 93, and discovering I wasn’t registered for the conference–you get the idea.)
Anyway, all was not lost. I got a pretty good handle on some definite “asks” for when I see them again, and I will see them soon. Not all of the asks have to do with more funding. (Many do, of course, because the funding is inadequate, but not all.) For instance, one request is to allow membership on the Board of Education to include former superintendents, school committee members or public school teachers along with current members who include directors of charter schools and others connected with the charter school movement—we’re just looking for balance on this very powerful board. Another request that should save money and time is to eliminate the EQA, one of more than 14 accountability systems imposed on districts. (The Governor’s budget proposed eliminating it; the House budget cut its funding 15%.) In Lowell, the school department spends months preparing reports for this auditing agency that overall duplicates other accountability systems already in place. We are not against being held accountable, we are against wasting time and resources shuffling paper for unnecessary, redundant reports.