Medford Rep. Carl Sciortino passes Education Reform amendments
Medford Transcript
1/24/10
The Massachusetts House of Representatives this week passed the finalized Education Reform Act, giving state and local officials power to intervene in underperforming schools and districts and increasing the number of charter schools allowed in the state.
Rep. Carl Sciortino, D-Medford, worked to include several amendments in the bill that will help promote a more equitable public education system.
Sciortino was able to influence the final bill, through the adoption of several amendments he proposed. Through one of his amendments, mobile and transient students are now included in the final bill and will be addressed as a part of strategies to reduce the achievement gap.
Other amendments filed by Sciortino also made it into the final bill. A provision regulating the amount of surplus funds charter schools are allowed to keep on hand was included, ensuring charters retain the funds they actually need while minimizing the financial cost to their host district.
"Charter school funding creates serious challenges to district school budgets," said Sciortino. "This amendment will help ensure some fairness for kids regardless of what school they attend."
In addition, rules ensuring charter school waitlists are held by the Department of Education and that vacancies are regularly filled will help to maximize the number of students and families these schools will serve.
Roy Belson, superintendent of Medford Public Schools, shares Sciortino's concern about the condition of schools in the community and the manner in which the state addresses funding.
"The Sciortino amendments to the bill are important improvements that can provide greater transparency regarding charter schools and possibly enable local communities to recapture overpayments that can help fund essential programs for the vast majority of students who choose to get their education in their home school system," said Belson. "This is particularly significant during this difficult financial period."
"I'm glad I was able to push through changes that will have some positive effect in closing the achievement gap," said Sciortino. "I have worked closely with teachers, parents, and administrators to reach a better understanding of what we, as legislators, can do to help our struggling schools. Ultimately, I did not vote for the bill because it continues an over reliance on MCAS and does not adequately address the charter school tuition formula."