Some things to read today

•  I was struck by this piece in The Nation on student voices being ignored. It's short, but it's food for thought. 
  
  
• In a similar vein, Governing has this piece on public officials listening to their communities.
  
  
• The dangerous anti-vaccine movement that we saw grow so much during the height of the pandemic is growing in influence in statehouses.
  
  
• Every time I see another "parents outraged" on Satan after school clubs and schools panicking, I want to rant about people NEEDING TO GOOGLE, but this piece in The New Republic spells out where this is coming from, and why you should blame Clarence Thomas.

To read this vacation week

 Here are some longer pieces to read as you have a chance this week:

• The L.A. Times on the school nutrition program: great internal look at what it means to feed 107 million meals a year while juggling multiple sets of regulations, supply shortages, and the palates of lots of different students.
  
  
• Rachel Cohen's deep dive for Vox on after school programs (and the lack thereof): 
  About 8 million kids are enrolled in after-school programs today, but that’s less than a quarter of

  total demand, according to the nonprofit Afterschool Alliance. Research it led in early 2020, just before the pandemic, found that nearly 25 million more children would be enrolled in an after-school program if one were available to them, up from 19 million in 2014.  

• This New York Times piece (oddly in the Opinion section) covering what it means to be a parent of a trans young person in a state which thinks such children shouldn't exist. The family spoken with is in Missouri; you might also read this piece speaking with parents in Florida.
  
  
• The first of what will be ten pieces for the next ten years of school finance from Jess Gartner and Jason Becker at Allovue, this one on teacher compensation. I wish I could make everyone involved in any aspect of negotiations, including public perception, read this one:
  

  Because teacher compensation makes up such a large percentage (over 60%) of district budgets overall, meaningful teacher compensation increases are nearly impossible strictly through reallocation of existing resources. Reallocating dollars from student transportation, nutrition, facilities, student support services (counselors, nurses, psychologists, etc), professional development, and technology cannot close the teacher wage gap. 

   

• And finally, if you're feeling worn out this February, read "You are not okay and tomorrow will come [and you should eat a banana]" from Emily Kingsley: 
  

  ...idiot or optimist, I still come home with hope each day. 

  It’s because of this one little word: and. 

  Everything is terrible and I can still change the clock battery.

  
  

Conference committee budget passes both chambers: a few notes

The conference committee released the FY20 budget Sunday evening (you can download it here) and both House and Senate passed it yesterday. I've updated the K-12 spreadsheet where I've been tracking the budget here.
As you can tell from the spreadsheet, many of the accounts were passed at the Senate levels, including the Chapter 70 rates:

This is good news on low income:

It's not as great news on English learners: 

...where the House was more progressive than the Senate. The Foundation Budget Review Commission called for a flat rate for this; we've had a rate (on top of the base) for a few years now, and I have to confess that I'm increasingly persuaded that we ought, like the House had it, be funding in a progressive towards the older end model, due to the steeper climb (and shorter time available) for students learning English later. 

Nonetheless, the passage is intended as a step towards the Commission, and that's a good thing.

It's interesting to note how many of the accounts in fact fund at levels even higher than the Senate did, due, one assumes, to higher than projected state revenue, but also effective local advocacy on a number of these lines. For example:

7009-6600, Early College is $2,500,000 in the conference committee budget, which splits the difference between the Governor's originally proposed $3M and the House's (amended) $2M.

7010-0012, METCO is up to $24.2M, a level about $2M above last year, 'though that includes $45K for late bussing to Lexington and Arlington.

7035-0002, adult education is up to $41M, with about $450K of that in earmarks; it was budgeted at $33.3M last year, and, as we heard at the Board of Ed in December, is significantly underbudgeted and so not meeting the needs.

7035-0006, regional transportation reimbursement makes it to $75.8M. The last official estimate I saw on this put the Governor's $68.8M at a 76% reimbursement, which by my back of the envelope puts this at about 83.8%.

7035-0009, McKinney-Vento reimbursement, which DESE estimated $9M was 37%, goes up to $11M.

7061-0011, circuit breaker, gets boosted to $345M. I'm leery of any projections on this one, as MASBO has been getting updates from DESE about how reimbursement requests are piling in, but it was at $319M last year, which should give you an idea of how much special education costs are skyrocking.

7061-0016, low income pothole, was all over the place during deliberations: the Governor didn't have it, the House had it at $16.5M with some pretty clear allocations, the Senate didn't fund it (but had the higher low income allocations in Ch. 70). They came through with $10.5M in the conference committee for districts that saw a hit on the shift from low income to economically disadvantaged being the count.

7061-9010, charter reimbursement (the Governor wants to call it "mitigation" now), was not only about the money but about the language. House 70, the school funding bill proposed by Governor Baker, would change allocation back to 100/60/40 for the first three years of an increase to a local charter school, but also would make that reimbursement only to districts seeing enrollment changes above the prior five years. The House put this language into their budget; the Senate made the 100/60/40 change, but didn't change the allocation method. The conference committee makes none of these changes only the 100/60/40 change, but also did boost the final amount to $115M, with the $15M halved between districts spending more than 9% of foundation on charters that get less than 41% (as that's the balance between state and districts statewide) of their foundation budget in state funding, and those seeing high enrollment. In both cases? Read Boston.

7061-9400, MCAS, came through at the originally proposed $32.2M, and the only news here is that there was no news on this line this year.

7061-9401, MCIEA, piloting alternative assessment, was not funded in any of the originally proposed budgets, but funded at $550,000 by Senate budget amendment.

7061-9607, recovery high schools, had been budgeted by the Governor at $2.5M "to meet projected need," which didn't feel accurate. The House went to $2.6M, the Senate back down to $2.5M, and the conference committee puts it at $3.1M.

7061-9611, after school programs came out of conference committee stuffed with earmarks,bringing the total to $8.2M and making this article in the Salem News misleading.

7061-9013, rural school aid, funded at $1.5M last year, was not funded by the Governor or House, was funded at the same $1.5M in the Senate, but ended up at $2.5M in conference committee. Count this one up to Senator Adam Hinds, who has been waging a single Senator push on this (to sympathy from his colleagues, clearly).


We aren't done yet! The budget is now with the Governor, and in Massachusetts, the Governor has a line item veto, which the Legislature likewise can overrule. Updates as I have them! And as always, ask rather than wonder!

We have a state budget (almost)

Gin beat me to the Latin:

"Habemus rationem pecuniae," as a former Senate president who missed a state budget deadline by 104 days per NYT, might say https://t.co/9WxCvtv6ko

— Gintautas Dumcius (@gintautasd) July 18, 2018

You can download the whole 331 pages of H4800 here.
In terms of education, as just about always this budget cycle, "not bad" is the theme. The big news is that the Ch. 70 number is not only the Senate number, it also adopts the Senate language, which not only further added to health insurance implementation, it made English learners an increment above the base!
YES, that's some additional FBRC implementation motion!
If you're in Worcester, note that the conference committee taking the Senate number means there will be a revised budget with additional positions: good news!
It remains a $30/per pupil minimum increase, and 100% gap closing (which was in the Senate version as well). The Ch. 70 line also includes the House-included assistance for districts that were particularly hit by the low income change; that money is to be out to districts by September 1.

What else is going on?

• The always messy line for DESE (because everyone sticks earmarks in it) is down a bit, but it looks as though that is a matter of what earmarks are in it.
• METCO comes through at $22.1M, same as the Senate.
• The early literacy line is up $50K, a bit over $2M in total, with a few earmarks.
• It looks as though conference committee took a whole bunch of the educational earmarks and stuck them into one line item (7061-1192), so if you're checking for something, you might start there. The line totals $1.6M. The one thing of more general interest is that it includes $50K for the Berkshire County Task Force. 
• School-to-career connecting activities comes in at $5M, with some earmarks.
• The line for ELL programs is up $1M from the Senate to $2.5M.
• Institutional schools is the same as the Senate, at $7.4M.
• Adult ed comes in at $33.3M. 
• Regional transportation got the Senate W&M amount of $68.8M.
• The Senate effort to reimburse transportation for non-resident vocational students came through at $250K.
• McKinney-Vento reimbursement for homeless students took the higher House number of $9M.
• The AP line is higher than the Senate at $2.8M (Senate had $2.5M). 
• The lunch line stays at $5.3M and keeps its $10K earmark for Weymouth.
• The breakfast line is $4.9M, including earmarks.
• As above, Ch. 70 largely takes the specifics of the Senate, including the ELL language, though it also includes the $12.5M pothole for low income, which came from the House. The minimum per pupil increase is $30; 100% gap closing. 

Important point on the language in Section 3 for Chapter 70: DESE "shall submit to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than September 1, 2018 its further recommendations for additional adjustments to the chapter 70 foundation budget calculation for fiscal years 2020 and beyond." This means the Legislature is REQUIRING A REPORT on improving reporting on the calculation of low income students BY SEPTEMBER 1. As this was among the major arguments the House was making in favor of their education funding bill, it appears the budget has now dealt with that.

• The promised $15M for districts that have students evacuated due to Hurricane Maria is included.
• Circuit breaker hits an unprecedented $319M; it really looks as though they're trying for full funding! There is a $200K earmark for Best Buddies, as well as $250K for extraordinary relief (for districts seeing extreme increases).
• District accountability audits are funded at $891K.
• The federal impact aid makes it in with an increase; now $1.4M.
• Charter reimbursement takes the House W&M $90M (the Senate had $100M).
• Innovation schools come through at $200K.
• Education data analysis is (weirdly down $1514?) $522K.
• CORRECTION: on the battle over the MCAS: $32M came through (what DESE asked for, the Governor put in, the House amended to, and the Senate didn't have): there is a specific set aside of $1M for the history/civics/social studies assessment.
• MCIEA gets the Senate (as amended) amount of $400K for development of alternative assessment and accountability.
• The Accuplacer/JFYNetworks (which at some point someone is going to figure out what they're about) line is $700K.
• Targeted intervention is up to $7.5M, though $150K of that is for youth workers in Everett and Chelsea.
• Expanded learning time is $13.9M (same).
• The line that allows DESE to actually spend the fees it collects from certification on certification rather than having it go back into the general fund made it in.
• Recovery high schools at $3.1M (same as Senate).
• After school programs at $4.2M with a lot of earmarks.
• Safe and supportive schools are up $100K to $700K.
• WPI's Mass Academy is in $1.5M
• YouthBuild comes in at the $2.4M of the Senate.
• Mass Mentoring the same $750K as the Senate.
• Conference committee did include the $56,920 in regional bonus aid. 
• Prevention of child sexual abuse is funded at the same $400K from the Senate.
• The push for rural school aid yielded real dollars this year, with $1.5M included for "school districts serving fewer than 11 students per square mile" plus a required report on future needs on such aid. 
• And the summer learning competitive grant program comes in at $500K.

The budget has to be passed by both the House and Senate, then it goes to the Governor, who may veto what he likes. We're running up against the end of the session on the Legislature's ability to override those vetoes.

UPDATE: to note that both chambers had passed the budget by the end of the day.

Senate Ways and Means budget

The Senate Ways and Means Committee released their FY18 budget today. You can find the executive summary here, along with the ability to download the rest of the budget.

A few foundation budget notes first: in the outside section, the FBRC implementation committee (for lack of a better term) is set up:

Section 5B½. (a) Annually, not later than January 15, the secretary of administration and finance shall meet with the senate and house committees on ways and means to jointly determine an implementation schedule to fulfill the recommendations filed on November 2, 2015 by the foundation budget review commission established in section 4 of chapter 70. The implementation schedule shall establish a foundation budget as defined in section 2 of said chapter 70 incorporating the categories of tuitioned-out special education rate, assumed in-school special education enrollment, low-income increment, low-income enrollment, foundation benefits, retired employee health insurance and English language learner increment; provided, however, that in the first year of the term of office of a governor who has not served in the preceding year, the parties shall determine an implementation schedule not later than January 31 of that year. In determining the implementation schedule, the secretary of administration and finance and the senate and house committees on ways and means shall hold a public hearing and receive testimony from the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and other interested parties. The schedule may be amended by agreement of the senate and house committees on ways and means in any fiscal year to reflect changes in enrollment, inflation, student populations or other factors that may affect the remaining costs in the schedule. The implementation schedule may be included in a joint resolution and placed before the members of the general court for their consideration along with proposed legislation to execute and implement the schedule. The implementation schedule shall be subject to appropriation.

That's important, because that's the part that really makes it happen. If they have to get together and publicly decide every year "here's where we are; here's where we're going," then this becomes something that we're all in on making happen.

Transportation bids

you can find that information here
Allen:
two bids received: First Student for $83,411,780
Durham for $65,197,368
permitted by law to negotiate a lower price
revised bid of $61,984,628
also looked at doing it in house: convinced something we should consider at next contract phase
would need more than 90 days to do (so can't do it this year)
ability to bring services in house for better results and for savings: school nutrition and environmental management, for example
sending field trip and athletics out for bid next
will only have total transportation changes once that bid is awarded
comparison with this year is estimation (as year by year changes in buses needed)
city is aware of increase as it impacts FY16
Foley: worried that we were going to be hit pretty hard on transportation
fewer out there?
Allen: four vendors at pre-bid conference
getting to a point where large contracts of this size are difficult to find
Boston owns buses but contracts out management and drivers
Springfield contracts with First Student
Framingham has Durham
Ramirez: challenges to have parents take advantage of Head Start program
Hennessey: running five buses through Durham for Head Start
eligibility determined by Head Start; needs for children to be fastened in
Biancheria: concern that we still have an enormous amount of need for bus passes
Allen: using WRTA bus passes for some alternative programs (home to school and back) and also for after school programs and services
about $155,000 a year; could spend more than that
Biancheria wonder about purchased a small amount of buses to then work around the bus pass program
Foley: also paying full price for bus passes
transportation is a service that we think is essential
MOTION to award bid to Durham: passes

Full Scholarships to the Worcester Think Tank after school workshops!

The Worcester Think Tank is offering two full scholarships to Worcester residents to each of the following after school workshops:

• Ahlan wa Sahlan: Arabic Culture
• Applied Digital Photography
• Digital Artists Club
• Hot Set! Video Editing
• Improv and Sketch Acting
• Think It, Write It: Creative Writing (Wednesday only)
• Science on a Sunday: Workshop (1/26)
• Weaving "My Story" (open to adults)

You can find more about the classes here and  the scholarship application here. 

WPS After School Music Lessons!

Just came over the transom!

The Worcester Public Schools are offering FREE small group music lessons after school on Wednesdays and Fridays. Lessons are a half hour long, and they will take place at Tatnuck Magnet School.
Parents are responsible for providing transportation, the instrument, and books.
Note that students who are currently taking lessons in school are not eligible for this program.

Lessons are available in violin, viola, cello, and saxophone, French horn, flute, trumpet, and clarinet.
Follow the link for the form to sign up!

It's not every school during the school day yet, but it's progress!
EDIT: the WPS link is down for editing; the link above is the original, which I've saved. I'll post the fixed WPS link once it is back online. 

Middle school honors

Admission depends on:

MCAS scores

MAP scores

Student grades

Teacher recommendations

Parent recommendations

In addition, schools may have other criteria. 

O'Connell: any weighing?

Houlihan (principal at Burncoat Middle): no, students are different

Williams (principal at Forest Grove): it's flexible. Cited AVID students taking two honors, hoping to get them to full honors 

Monfredo: school of choice. Wishes to send information out to parents of fifth and sixth grade, Connect-ed to let people know.

Rodrigues: very important for families to know 

Biancheria: very positive things happening in the middle schools

Kids pleased with what is going on in the halls. How can we help you?

Williams says he'll take five more staff members 

Activities: intermural program. FG has 250 kids coming after school for sports
Biancheria: other opportunities? Programs you'd like to offer?
Houlihan: students who stay after for extra help.  Pockets of activities happening; transporting students home after activities, especially going into daylight savings.Would love to have the art agencies working after school working on site.
Biancheria: looking at transportation and the cost of transportation, how to get the students home
"that's a piece that we should bring to finance and operations; if we're not providing the bus, we need to provide the bus passes"
programs at the school
Rodrigues: next month working with middle school principals for after school activities
principals from arts magnet quadrant, looking at the quality and enhancement of the program
Monfredo: talk to Steve O'Neil at the WRTA

21st Century grant for Sullivan

Sullivan Middle: 21st Century with LEI and Non-Violent Solutions
four different modules running between 8 and 10 weeks
will include some Saturdays, and vacations, and will run during July
50 students (have double the applicants)
will follow students all the way through
extend school day and school year

Middle school after-school activities

Monfredo: "we need to seriously look to expand clubs and intraschool sports at the middle schools"
look for opportunities for students to get involved
Biancheria notes that there are similar items in TLSS: asks that this subcom take these items up in March
Boone: Title IX survey included middle school students; initial set of recommendations
strategic plan for athletic involvement: more students eligible and able to try out for varsity at the high school level
Report of the Superintendent is the Worcester Educational Development Foundation next week, reporting on their strategic focus, which includes sports

Debate

and mock trial is on here, too!
"any sufficient student-demonstrated interest in formal debate competition"

O'Connell says "clearly there is interest at Doherty"