MASSACHUSETTS STATE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATION FUNDING
The FY 2019 Budget reflects the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to public education and includes funding increases for essential education programs. The budget increases Chapter 70 local education funding by $160.6 million over FY18 levels, bringing the total Ch. 70 investment to $4.9 billion. This record funding not only ensures that all school districts reach their foundation budget level, but also provides a minimum $30 per pupil increase for all districts that would otherwise not see increases.
Other Key Education Items:
Other General Budget Highlights
The FY 2019 Budget reflects the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to public education and includes funding increases for essential education programs. The budget increases Chapter 70 local education funding by $160.6 million over FY18 levels, bringing the total Ch. 70 investment to $4.9 billion. This record funding not only ensures that all school districts reach their foundation budget level, but also provides a minimum $30 per pupil increase for all districts that would otherwise not see increases.
Other Key Education Items:
- METCO—The budget provides for a $1.5 million increase over the FY18 funding level for METCO, supporting grants to cities, towns and regional school districts for expenses incurred through participation in METCO.
- Early Education & Care—The Legislature supported a $280 million increase over FY18 funding levels for early education and care programs, including, but not limited to, quality improvement, rate reserve, and early literacy programming.
- School-to-Career—Recognizing the evolving nature of our Commonwealth’s workforce, the FY19 budget increased funding for school-to-career connecting activities by $1.4 million over FY18. This account funds programs designed to extend the classroom into the workplace by linking students with local employers, thereby creating applied learning opportunities and career exploration opportunities.
- Adult Basic Education—These programs, which support the transition of students from other adult basic education programs to community college certificate and degree programs, saw a $3.7 million funding increase over FY18 levels.
- Special Education Circuit Breaker—The FY19 budget provides almost $320 million to reimburse local school districts for out of district tuition, a $25.6 million increase over FY18 levels and an estimated 72.5% reimbursement rate.
Other General Budget Highlights
- Regional Transportation—The budget allocates $88 million for Regional Transit Authorities across the Commonwealth, ensuring that residents have access to reliable and affordable transportation
- Public Libraries—The budget increases funding for our public libraries by $400,000 over the FY18 funding level. An additional $2.2 million is provided for technology and automated resource sharing, continuing the update of our public libraries to enable modern day hi-tech methods of research.
- Mental Health—The budget funds the Safe & Supportive Schools Grant program at $600,000, a statewide grant that provides districts with resources to better address the behavioral health needs of students by creating safe and supportive learning environments. It also allocates $150,000 to the Healthy Relationships Grant Program that helps schools develop and implement social-emotional support and programming for students to address teen dating violence. Overall, the Department of Mental Health received a $97 million increase over FY18 funding levels.
- MassHealth—The MassHealth item includes funding for the Department of Children and Families at $989 million, an investment aimed at protecting children in the care of the Commonwealth. It also included $4.2 million for veterans outreach centers.
- Transportation—The Department of Transportation will be funded at $323 million for FY 2019, providing resources for important infrastructure projects across the state, as well as increasing access to public transportation for the Commonwealth’s students and employees.
- Public Safety—The budget includes $20.75 million for civil legal aid, $3 million for community-based reentry programs, and $2.5 million for better access to specialized services for defendants suffering from addiction, mental health disorders and trauma.