• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

TEACHERS UNIONS SAY THAT BAKER’S EDUCATION BUDGET FALLS SHORT

Written by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN Posted February 2, 2021 Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS

Via Commonwealth News Service.

School systems have been grappling with inadequate funding for years.


Educators and labor leaders have said that governor Charlie Baker’s level of federal funding for education in his proposed state budget is not enough. In particular, they have pointed to the Student Opportunity Act, passed in 2019 to allocate more state funding over seven years to school systems with many low-income students and English-language learners. The first year of the act was delayed by the Baker administration because of the coronavirus.

Members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) like Sondra Longo, a high school English teacher for Lawrence Public Schools, are speaking out about how many low-income districts have been dealing with the shortcomings of their budget for a long time. Longo said that the state should fully fund the first two years in 2022 and emphasized that there is no time to catch up. Students will need a lot of support after more than a year of online learning.

“We’re gonna have to personalize the education because everyone’s been through the same trauma, but they’ve been through it in a different way,” said Longo. “So I feel like the resources to do that, they’re absolutely essential.”

Meanwhile, president Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan would bring in federal dollars, if passed, and could help fund the Student Opportunity Act. Groups such as AFT are calling for swift passage of the relief package.

SHIRA LAUCHAROEN

Shira Laucharoen is a reporter based in Boston. She currently serves as the assistant director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. In the past she has written for Sampan newspaper, The Somerville Times, Scout Magazine, Boston Magazine, and WBUR.

Related posts
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    AG MAURA HEALEY SPEAKS OUT ON ABORTION BANS
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    ABILITIES DANCE PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF "INTERSECTIONS"
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    ROYALL HOUSE AND SLAVE QUARTERS HOSTS "ABOLITIONISTS IN ACTION"
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    "STAND WITH UKRAINE THROUGH FILM" AT COOLIDGE CORNER

Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: Charlie Baker, education, teachers

WHAT’S NEW

Photo of Karyna Oliinyk, courtesy of Karyna Oliinyk

Local Photographer Lives with War at a Distance

State Wire: Wraparound Services Spotlighted For Community Action Month

State Wire: Wraparound Services Spotlighted For Community Action Month

Diabetes Researcher Claims She Was Unlawfully Denied Entry To US

Diabetes Researcher Claims She Was Unlawfully Denied Entry To US

Inbox: "Reformers Vow To Press For Changes In the Massachusetts Democratic Party"

Inbox: “Reformers Vow To Press For Changes In the Massachusetts Democratic Party”

MA Lawmakers, Advocates Say Steps Needed To Tackle Ghost Guns

MA Lawmakers, Advocates Say Steps Needed To Tackle Ghost Guns

"Spotted Lanternfly, back_2017-06-16-16.50" by Sam Droege is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0

Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Alert!

Primary Sidebar

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • Morale Violation: Whistle-Blowers Report Culture Of “Retaliation,” “Nepotism” At Parole Agency
  • We Turned the North End Restaurant Lawsuit Against Mayor Wu Into a Musical
  • Do You Want To Work For the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission?
  • Inbox: Red Bull Cliff Diving Returns To Boston Waterfront
  • How Long Can Major Cannabis Cultivators Sustain Massive Indoor Grows In Mass?

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 24.08 – 04/21/22

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]