The New Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Means More Funding for Your Local Schools, But Your Voice is Needed Now on How It Should Be Spent.

The SOA is a major achievement, the result of years of advocacy to address vast inequities in state school funding. It will bring desperately needed funds to Massachusetts public schools, especially in districts serving students with the greatest needs. But it must be spent well by districts to achieve its goal: a quality education for every student.  

All districts must develop a three-year spending plan by APRIL 1, 2020, for funding beginning July 1. Districts must solicit and consider local public input. THAT’S WHERE YOU COME IN! 

Click here to read our new fact sheet and learn more about the SOA, what it means for your local schools and how you can make sure the resources go where they are most needed.

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Save the date and your seat for an evening with Diane Ravitch, Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7pm at First Parish in Cambridge.

Diane’s new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools, features the story of Massachusetts’ victorious 2016 No on 2 campaign to keep the cap on charter schools. She’ll be joined by two key players in that victory, Barbara Madeloni and Maurice Cunningham. 

Reserve your ticket today by clicking here.

Diane Ravitch is a dynamic and powerful speaker, an inspiring leader in the national movement for educational justice, and against testing insanity and the privatization of public education.

She is a historian of education and Research Professor of Education at New York University. From 1991 to 1993, she was Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander in the administration of President George H.W. Bush.   → Read More

…we reached our year-end goal! We are thrilled we raised $20,032! Besides helping us pay the rent, realizing this goal feels like an important affirmation of our work. So we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your support will help realize our 2020 vision in support of Massachusetts public schools:

• to that the promised funding gets to the students who need it,
• to fight privatization, and
• to replace discriminatory high-stakes testing with fair and helpful assessments. 

Watch this space (and follow us on Facebook and Twitter) for actions, events and other ways you can stay involved and help us realize this vision in the coming months. If you are interested in working on one of our three areas of focus — testing, funding or privatization — contact me about joining the CPS policy circle in that area.
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Yesterday CPS founding board member Norma Shapiro issued our Giving Tuesday challenge and announced a generous $2,500 one-day only match – and just before the midnight deadline, we met the match!

Giving Tuesday was a great day to make a difference and we thank all of you who did! In 24 hours, we went from 15% to 31% of our year-end goal! We’re powered by you, our grassroots members.
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Speak Up for the Student Opportunity Act Today! Massachusetts is now one step closer to fulfilling its promise of fully and equitably fund public schools for all. Contact your legislators to make sure the best possible bill is enacted!

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate have unanimously approved their own versions of the Student Opportunity Act, the Senate on Oct. 3 and the House on Oct. 23. The two chambers must work out remaining differences before sending a final bill to Governor Charlie Baker. They plan to act swiftly in the hopes of enacting a bill before the Legislature recesses on November 20. Contact them now!   → Read More