More issues from Transition Team Forum

There were a lot of speakers last night, but some of the best were from local school committees, Chelmsford, Lowell and Tewksbury, among others. A woman from the Chelmsford SC said that there needs to be a united and resounding message that education is valuable and that it is costly. She urged that there be a lengthy dialogue on what it costs to educate children and the cost of NOT doing so. Jackie Doherty, from the Lowell SC (the other members and the superintendent were at a joint sub-committee meeting on the school building plan) spoke about the importance of restoring pre-school transportation in Lowell (cut in 2003), added support to suggestions by other school committee members that the Board of the DOE be reorganized to allow School Committee members, teachers and principals to be members, and the need for help in the collective bargaining process. This was an issue in Lowell, when we lost the chance to pilot an extended day program in Lowell because the union wouldn't agree to it. Tewksbury SC members also spoke of the difficulty in winning vital concessions around healthcare costs and extending instruction time from their teacher unions (apparently they tried to add 15 minutes of instruction time to the day, without extending the school day, and had an 11 day teacher strike).

Transition Team on Education

I went to the Patrick/Murray Transition Team Forum on education at the Butler School tonight. There were over 100 people there and the audience did the talking, while the Transition Team listened, took notes and asked questions. As might be expected, much of the conversation was about funding. Parents and school committee members from Chelmsford and other towns that are being short-changed by Chapter 70 explained the budget cuts, increased fees and reduced programs that their systems have undergone since 2003. Paul Schlichtman who is the Coordinator of Research, Testing and Assessment in Lowell, while also serving on the Arlington School Committee made an excellent point about Chapter 70 funding: that densely populated, low-growth towns are being penalized under the formula in favor of high-growth areas. That certainly explains why Westford did so much better under Chapter 70 than Chelmsford. I asked that questions of many people last June and could never get a straight answer. Thanks, Paul!Many people urged the team to recommend a change from funding education out of property taxes, something I think Deval Patrick campaigned on, and that certainly makes sense.

Anyone can submit ideas and suggestions to the transition teams by visiting http://www.patrickmurraytransition.org/

Patrick/Murray Transition Team on Education

The Transition Team on Pre-K-12 Education is coming to Lowell! The Lowell school department and those of surrounding towns will help sponsor this community forum, held Monday, December 11, 7-9 p.m. at the Butler School in Lowell. They are looking for input from all interested parties on the most important issues in education today in order to craft recommendations for Governor-Elect Patrick. Everyone is welcome!