There is a foundation budget review commission in the conference committee budget

 Yes, I am still playing catch-up from being away!

the headline I saw from vacation

The conference committee budget agreed to by both chambers does have a foundation budget review commission in it. As the guide to the outside sections notes, it is compromise language, which here means that they didn't just take the Senate's language, as, as you might remember, the House didn't have such language in the budget. 

I'm going to include the text from the budget in full below; it's in two sections (64 and 111), covering the committee's charge as well as the deadline for the report of the next commission. I say next report, as the language appears to be (again, as this was also in the Student Opportunity Act) to be establishing this as a commission that is to meet periodically. The language establishes it "every ten years" but that's "[u]pon action of the general court."

There are two things that are interesting to me: 

1. The charge of the commission is very general, compared to what we have seen in the past: 

 The commission shall seek to determine the educational programs and services necessary to achieve the commonwealth’s educational goals and to prepare students to achieve passing scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System examinations. The review shall include, but not be limited to, components of the foundation budget created pursuant to section 3 and subsequent changes made to the foundation budget by law. The commission shall seek to determine and recommend measures to promote the adoption of ways in which resources can be most effectively utilized and consider various models of efficient and effective resource allocation. 

That's REALLY open ended! I do find it a little entertaining that they're including passage of the MCAS in here, alongside achieving the "commonwealth's educational goals." It's otherwise basically, "look over the full foundation budget," along with a charge (which is common) for "efficient and effective resource allocation."

Big scope there. 
They've also got a longer timeline, as the report isn't due until October 31, 2028. PLEASE NOTE: That is in time to inform FY29, but that puts FY28 off the table. 

2. The list of who is on it (and who isn't?):

(b) Members of the commission shall consist of: the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on education, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of education, or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or a designee; the commissioner of early education and care, or a designee; the secretary of administration and finance, or a designee; a representative from the department of revenue’s division of local services; the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the president of the senate, or a designee; the minority leader of the house of representatives, or a designee; the minority leader of the senate, or a designee; the governor, or a designee; the chair of the senate committee on ways and means, or a designee; the chair of the house committee on ways and means, or a designee; the director of rural affairs of the executive office of economic development, or a designee; the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; the executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; the executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, Inc.; the president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; the executive director of the Tufts University’s Center for State Policy Analysis; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials; president and chief executive officer of The Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Inc.; and 1 member to be appointed by the governor who shall have experience in elementary and secondary education finance or municipal finance in the commonwealth.

That's a whole lot of Legislative designees there at the start. They're then assigning specifically who in organizations--no "or designee" language here!--is to be on the commission, opting for presidents of associations (MASS, MASC, MARS, MASBO, AFT-MA) and executive directors in other cases (MBAE, MCPSCA, Center for State Policy Analysis, Mass Business Roundtable). It's always interesting to me that there are these default chairs for business groups but not for other groups that might be of use and interest. Also, that's one but not both teachers' unions. 

This is not yet law, of course, as Governor Healey has yet to take action on the budget. But if she does not veto any of the above, this is what will go forward. 
It is now law, as the Governor has signed the bill with no vetoes.

__________________________________________________________________________ 

SECTION 64. Chapter 70 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 4, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 4. (a) Upon action of the general court, there shall be a foundation budget review commission to review the way foundation budgets are calculated and to make recommendations for potential changes in those calculations as the commission deems appropriate for prekindergarten to grade 12, inclusive; provided, however, that the commission shall be established not less than every 10 years. The commission shall seek to determine the educational programs and services necessary to achieve the commonwealth’s educational goals and to prepare students to achieve passing scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System examinations. The review shall include, but not be limited to, components of the foundation budget created pursuant to section 3 and subsequent changes made to the foundation budget by law. The commission shall seek to determine and recommend measures to promote the adoption of ways in which resources can be most effectively utilized and consider various models of efficient and effective resource allocation. In conducting the review, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the commissioner of revenue shall provide to the commission any data and information the commissioners consider relevant to the commission’s charge.
(b) Members of the commission shall consist of: the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on education, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of education, or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or a designee; the commissioner of early education and care, or a designee; the secretary of administration and finance, or a designee; a representative from the department of revenue’s division of local services; the speaker of the house of representatives, or a designee; the president of the senate, or a designee; the minority leader of the house of representatives, or a designee; the minority leader of the senate, or a designee; the governor, or a designee; the chair of the senate committee on ways and means, or a designee; the chair of the house committee on ways and means, or a designee; the director of rural affairs of the executive office of economic development, or a designee; the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; the executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; the executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, Inc.; the president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools, Inc.; the president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; the executive director of the Tufts University’s Center for State Policy Analysis; the president of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials; president and chief executive officer of The Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Inc.; and 1 member to be appointed by the governor who shall have experience in elementary and secondary education finance or municipal finance in the commonwealth. 

(c) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall furnish staff and other support for the work of the commission. It shall not constitute a violation of chapter 268A for a person employed by a school district to serve on the commission or to participate in commission deliberations that may have a financial impact on the district employing that person or on the rate at which that person may be compensated. The commission may establish procedures to ensure that no such person participates in commission deliberations that may directly affect the school districts employing any such person or that may directly affect the rate at which any such person is compensated.
(d) Prior to issuing its recommendations, the commission shall conduct at least 4 public hearings across geographically diverse regions of the commonwealth. The commission shall file its report with findings and recommendations, including any legislative or regulatory changes that may be necessary to implement its recommendations, by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means; and the joint committee on education. The report shall be made publicly available on the website of the department of elementary and secondary education.

SECTION 111. Not later than October 31, 2028, the foundation budget review  commission shall file its first report pursuant to section 4 of chapter 70 of the General Laws, inserted by section 64; provided, however, that prior to filing the first report, the commission shall review recommendations and utilize data from the local contribution study completed by the department of elementary and secondary education pursuant to item 7010-0005 of section 2 of chapter 9 of the acts of 2025. If the commission recommendations include proposals that would result in increased costs to the commonwealth the commission shall identify available resources to support any recommendations. The review may include other school finance programs not included in the foundation budget including, but not limited to: (i) aid to rural schools; (ii) charter school costs; (iii) out-of-district special education costs; and (iv) municipal school district transportation costs, including road mileage and geographic area. The report shall be submitted to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on education shall be made publicly available on the website of the department of elementary and secondary education.