One of my most important jobs as a state legislator is to fulfill the constitutional obligation to make sure that every child in the Commonwealth receives a good education. I take my commitment to education very seriously and have filed numerous bills on this critical issue.

Giving Every Child the Opportunity to Succeed Under State Standards

It’s been over ten years since the Education Reform Act of 1993 was approved by the legislature.  While many of our school districts have greatly improved the education they provide their students, too many districts are still unable to meet the demands of the Act.  A long awaited decision by the Supreme Judicial Court in Hancock v. Driscoll did not side with the plaintiff districts in finding that the state should increase education funding.  However, the majority opinion did state that it is the Legislature’s job to make sure that cities and towns are receiving the resources necessary to provide every student with a good education. I have filed legislation, along with more than 100 other legislators, that would establish a commission directed to find out what needs to be done to ensure that all students can meet the state’s seven curriculum standards. 
 

Ensuring Safe Schools for Children

Promoting safe schools is one of the best steps we can take to make sure that the staff and students in our schools are focusing on teaching and learning.  To this end, I have filed a bill written by a group of middle school students in the City of Everett to confront the serious problem of bullying in schools. Not only do bullying and harassment harm the victim, but it also sets a destructive pattern of behavior for the aggressors. My bill requires school districts and schools to develop a plan of action to address harassment, intimidation and bullying.
 

Increasing Community Input in Charter School Process

Charter schools can provide a valuable education to our students --- but only if they live up to their charter. This year alone the Board of Education (BOE), which approves and monitors charter schools, has had to close two charter schools in Boston. Too often the BOE, which is disproportionately filled with charter school advocates, approves charter schools with little debate and almost no community process.  I have filed a bill that would direct the Governor to create more balanced membership on the BOE to include community and public education representatives.  My bill would also require that the Board of Education seek substantive community input during the charter school approval process and maintain more accountability from the schools so that the BOE does not have to close down schools and disrupt students’ education.
 

Giving All Students in Massachusetts Access to Public Higher Education

During the past session, I sponsored a bill to open up the doors of our public colleges and universities to young immigrants who will form the basis of our future workforce.  Currently, hundreds of star students who have spent most of their lives in Massachusetts are not able to pursue post-secondary education because they must pay prohibitively expensive out-of-state tuition at public universities.  This bill would allow any immigrant who has attended high school in Massachusetts for at least three years and has earned a diploma or the equivalent, to enroll in any public institution and pay in-state tuition.  This bill makes higher education available to all students who deserve it.  Last session, both houses of the legislature enacted this bill but Governor Romney vetoed it, denying educational opportunities to many of our state’s young people. I have refiled this important legislation.

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