Amid charter battle, cities push for more state education aid

[unhappycamper]

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20160321/NEWS/160329434

Amid charter battle, cities push for more state education aid
By Katie Lannan/State House News Service
Posted Mar. 21, 2016 at 9:41 AM

BOSTON - Lawmakers representing the state's mid-sized, lower-income cities plan to lobby for more school aid in the House version of the budget, arguing their school districts are under financial strain and have limited other revenue options.

The fiscal 2017 budget proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker increases the money paid to local schools, known as Chapter 70 funds, by 1.6 percent to $4.58 billion. Baker said his administration went "above and beyond" what the standard formula would have called for in growing the account, but a majority of legislators, along with school officials and municipal leaders from throughout Massachusetts, say they want to see more funding in the final version of next year's budget.

The funding struggle comes as ballot law proponents press to lift a state cap on public charter schools to open up educational opportunities for students on wait lists. Opponents of the charter cap lift say charters pull dollars away from traditional public schools and that policymakers need to focus on improving opportunities for all public school students.

Rep. Antonio Cabral, a New Bedford Democrat who serves as the House chair of the Legislature's Gateway Cities Caucus, told the News Service the caucus has urged its members to "advocate on behalf of additional Chapter 70 aid" when meeting individually with legislative budget writers. Cabral said he asked for more Chapter 70 money in a discussion with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brian Dempsey.