Last week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released their proposed state budget for Fiscal Year 2020, and within that budget was a record amount of education funding for Everett Public Schools – funding that is also known technically as Chapter 70 funds.
All cities in Sen. Sal DiDomenico’s district received an increase in Chapter 70 funding from the proposal, with the Everett Public Schools receiving a total of $75,001,079- which was a $6 million increase over Fiscal Year 2019 funding levels.
“I am grateful to both Senate Ways & Means Chairman Senator Michael Rodrigues for their dedication to making education funding a top priority in this budget cycle, and I am pleased that the funds I have advocated for have been included,” said Senator DiDomenico. “With this budget, we are making it clear that we are serious about securing more funding for our K-12 public schools and reforming our state’s outdated education funding formula. This has been- and continues to be- my top education priority, and I am proud that my district will receive the additional funds that they deserve in the Senate budget.”
The Senate will debate its Fiscal Year 2020 budget next week, where DiDomenico will work to secure additional funding for his district and local organizations.
Education funding has become the top priority on Beacon Hill this budget cycle, as it was primarily during last year’s contentious budgeting process. Already, students from Everett and surrounding urban cities have crowded into the State House earlier this year to rally for increased funding for the schools.
The Senate Budget was more generous than the House Budget in terms of education funding, which was encouraging to education leaders.
Still, the Budget must go through a thorough review in a House/Senate Conference Committee – though a reduction in education funding within Conference is rare.