Now back to the state...

A few things on education funding from yesterday's press conference (and various released documents) by Governor Patrick:

1. The state is really counting on the federal government to come through with increased Title 1 funds (Title 1 is the federal money that goes to poorer schools; most schools in Worcester qualify). While they are not planning, per se, on that, much of the rest of their calculations do revolve around it, let's say.
2. The recalculation of cities and town's responsibilities are indeed happening (as intimated by the City Manager at Tuesday's City Council meeting). The wording goes like this:
   

We propose to recalculate the required municipal contribution for cities and towns based on updated fiscal year 2010 municipal revenue growth factors. These growth factors calculate a municipality’s ability to provide funds toward education. In this current fiscal downturn, it is not reasonable to have cities and towns with declining growth factors contribute funds at levels in previous years. The Administration recognizes that revenues have declined and budgets are tighter which is why it promotes the changes to municipal contribution as provided for by the Executive Office of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

That means downward growth means downward funding--a straightforward calculation that will send us backward pretty dramatically, when combined with level-funding Chapter 70 aid (from the state) for next year. Remember that level funding means "no inflation increase."

This brings us back (as it so often does) to the foundation formula. Remember that the formula was in answer to a lawsuit brought against the state, charging that education was being inadequately funded. The state's answer was the 1993 Ed Reform law, which brought us not only the MCAS (about which I harp so much), but also the foundation formula. The MCAS was supposed to measure that this minimal level of funding was being correctly spent. But will the state be in violation of the settlement if they allow cities and towns to drop below foundation funding? The possibility is certainly there.