"A surreal rush of midnight amendments, read at the podium with the speed of a livestock auctioneer and voted on with similar velocity, left most of the House, the clerk’s office, and all attendees in uncertainty about key provisions"
Related: The Perils of One-Party Politics: Massachusetts' Democracy
Oh, the LOBBYISTS WROTE it and sent it over, huh?
"Education bill weakened, critics say; Right to fire teachers at failing schools axed" by James Vaznis, Globe Staff | December 16, 2009
Over the past two months, more than 20,000 teachers and their supporters have bombarded Beacon Hill with letters, e-mails, and telephone calls, urging legislators not to give superintendents unprecedented authority to ignore union rules as they overhaul troubled schools.
So far the lobbying has paid off. The education bill approved by the Senate last month eliminated several controversial proposals, including a provision that would have allowed superintendents to dismiss any teacher at a failing school regardless of job performance.
Now, as the fiercest education debate in 16 years heads to the House, groups of business executives, parents, and school leaders say the bill has been so watered down that it will do little to help improve the education of students in the state’s worst schools. Instead, they say it puts the interest of teachers above their students....
“It’s almost like a bad bill would be worse than no bill.’’
**********************
With the state confronting yet another year of tight finances because of sluggish state revenue, Governor Deval Patrick and other leaders say it is critical that Massachusetts passes a bill so it can secure funding under President Obama’s Race to the Top competition, which could yield $250 million for Massachusetts.
Related: Bay State loses in first round of US grants for education
The federal program calls on states to pursue an array of initiatives, including taking a harder line when evaluating teacher job performance, getting rid of ineffective teachers, and expanding the number of charter schools, which in Massachusetts almost always employ nonunion teachers.
Paul Reville, the state’s education secretary, said he remains optimistic that a substantive bill will get to the governor next month.
“There is a lot of rhetoric designed to influence the next stage of the process,’’ Reville said. “It’s not time yet to despair about the bill and to make global pronouncements about the extent to which the bill may have been watered down. Is it a perfect bill? No. Can we strengthen it as it moves onto the House? Yes.’’
Reville said he was hoping to work out compromises that would provide superintendents the power they need to overhaul schools while respecting the rights of teachers.
The teachers unions - which can wield considerable influence in the Democrat-controlled Legislature, particularly by providing manpower and some donations in election years - was particularly effective in making two key changes in the bill....
--more--"
Teachers' clout ain't what it once was:
"House bill gives superintendents more power to fire teachers" by James Vaznis, Globe Staff | December 30, 2009
The Massachusetts House of Representatives appears poised to consider an overhaul of the state’s most troubled schools next week, as members take up a bill that could represent a major setback for teachers unions.
The proposed bill would give superintendents extraordinary powers to ignore teacher contract provisions in firing teachers for good cause at underperforming schools.
Or press a grudge.
It would also allow superintendents to impose changes in workplace rules, such as extending the school day, at those schools if negotiations break down, key House leaders said in a telephone briefing yesterday.
Unlike a Senate version approved last month, the House bill does not establish an arbitration process for teachers to appeal those changes by superintendents.
The state’s teachers unions have been aggressively lobbying the Legislature for inclusion of an appeals process, concerned that superintendents might make decisions based on politics, rather than merit.
Nah, no one ever does that here in Massachusetts.
In another potential loss for teachers unions, the House version ensures the proliferation of charter schools, nearly all of which employ nonunion teachers, in school districts that rank in the bottom 10 percent for MCAS scores, such as Boston.
By contrast, a last-minute amendment to the Senate version last month essentially blocked charter school expansion in Boston and many other urban districts by creating a second threshold for the opening of more charter schools.
House leaders say that superintendents need greater freedom from teacher contracts to overhaul schools with persistently low test scores. Allowing teachers to appeal every decision, they say, could impede a quick turnaround of schools, leaving student academic growth in jeopardy.
Gee, the way they throw away tax loot who knew they cared about kids?
Overhauling the state’s most troubled schools is a cornerstone of Governor Deval Patrick’s education agenda and has been more recently pushed by President Obama....
The Legislature is under a tight deadline to approve a bill because states must submit applications for the first round of federal funding by mid-January....
Oh, an updated rewrite, yay!
"House swiftly OKs sweeping education measure, 119 to 35" by James Vaznis, Globe Staff | January 7, 2010
The state House of Representatives passed a sweeping education bill just after midnight that aims to overhaul the state’s worst schools and expand charter schools, capping off a marathon session that began early yesterday afternoon.
The approval came swiftly in a roll call vote, after members plowed through about 150 amendments to the bill. The vote was 119 to 35.
The decisive action surprised a handful of lobbyists who watched the proceedings unfold over the course of nearly 12 hours. Movement appeared so slow at points that many predicted a second day of debate.
But many House members, responding to a push by Speaker Robert DeLeo to pass the bill in a day, remained confident the session would end with a bill ready for a conference committee today. The Senate approved a similar measure in November....
The bill, House members and the Patrick administration say, is necessary to help thousands of students stay in school and give them the preparation they need to succeed in college. It would also help better position the state to qualify for about $250 million in new federal stimulus money reserved for states that aggressively work to make over their worst schools....
Yeah, they are jammed it through to try and get that money they didn't get.
Here is a small slice of cut:
Yesterday's session began two hours late and members deliberated for less than three hours, with much time spent in private conversations before taking a two-hour break. The House has 151 amendments to consider before voting on the bill, many pushed by lobbyists....
Why would they have to do that?
They WROTE the THING!!
"Lawmakers approve education bill; Will help state’s bid for US funds, Patrick says" by James Vaznis, Globe Staff | January 15, 2010
Governor Deval Patrick predicted last night that the Legislature’s approval of a sweeping education bill would bring to an end a chronic achievement gap between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds and would probably enhance the state’s chances of receiving $250 million in new federal stimulus money....
Nope.
The Senate approved the bill, 23 to 12, late yesterday afternoon while the House followed roughly two hours later, passing it 97 to 47....
While approval margins were wide, building support among lawmakers initially proved difficult, pitting those who favor teachers unions against those who loathe them, and charter school supporters against opponents.
Yeah, thanks for DIVIDING US!!
The legislation, targeted by lobbyists representing divergent education agendas, was the subject of four Democratic caucuses in the House, an unusually high number for a single bill, House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said last night....
Before the bill could be considered yesterday, Senate rules had to be waived because a conference committee, which put together the bill Wednesday night, missed the filing deadline.
Why even bother having rules if they are not going to abide by them?
Over the course of more than an hour, some senators voiced concern that the bill was being rushed through, but many others said they believed the opportunity to secure additional money during a period of steep budget cuts was too good to pass up.
Yeah, WHO CARES if it is a SHIT BILL written by lobbyists that no one has read?
The bill represents a cornerstone of Patrick’s education agenda, which slightly more than a year ago appeared to be all but on hold as the state confronted ever-worsening budget woes.
But the effort was reignited last year at the prospect of receiving $250 million from President Obama’s Race to the Top competition, reserved for states aggressively pursuing overhauls of failing schools and expansions of charter schools.
And we DIDN'T GET the money!!
Now state education officials are racing to meet a Tuesday deadline to submit their funding proposal, including a copy of the approved bill. They will send the hundreds of pages by express carrier, while a state official who will be in Washington Tuesday has agreed to drop off a backup copy.
And WHO do you think is PAYING for that, taxpayers?
State Senator Richard Tisei, Republican minority leader who is running for lieutenant governor, told colleagues on the floor that he supported the bill but added: “It is sort of sad in a way that it has taken the dangling of new education dollars to make the Legislature do the right thing to address some of the underperforming school issues. . . . We’ve missed a lot of opportunities over that time to take the next step.’’
Hey, it's a sad state I live in anyway.
--more--"
And about that tax loot lost:"Bay State loses in first round of US grants for education" by James Vaznis, Globe Staff | March 30, 2010
Massachusetts may have lost points for requiring union consent on enacting some plans to overhaul underperforming schools and for not changing state law to allow for unfettered growth of charter schools, according to the scores and written comments released yesterday by a five-member review panel....
Yeah, Obama is for the working man!
Massachusetts’ absence from the first winner’s circle is being perceived by some education advocates as a possible knock against the state’s recent move to reinvigorate its 17-year effort to overhaul public education....
In preparing its application, the Patrick administration pushed the Legislature to pass a controversial bill that called for opening more charter schools in the state’s worst districts, and gave superintendents and a state education commissioner greater powers to turnaround failing schools. The governor and key legislative leaders praised the bill, which was signed into law in January, as aggressive, promising it would close a persistent achievement gap among students of different socioeconomic backgrounds.
But a five-member panel that reviewed Massachusetts’ application appeared to have reservations about the strength of the new law because of the level of union involvement and limited charter school growth.
The panel also found the state’s requirements for evaluating teachers and principals to be somewhat weak and doubted the state’s willingness to adopt national academic standards. The Obama administration has been strongly pushing national standards, which the Patrick administration has said it will not support if they are lower than those in Massachusetts.
The Bay State did earn high points for boosting student achievement and for its commitment of making education funding a high priority. Patrick has avoided cutting the bulk of state education aid as he addresses revenue shortfalls....
Then why all the layoffs and school closings?
Some education advocates in Massachusetts said they suspect the Obama administration went with only two first-round winners as leverage to goad other states into pushing their efforts even further....
Some would call that EXTORTION!
And I thought we were ALL on the SAME SIDE?
Why is Obama PITTING STATE against STATE?
Anne Wass, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, defended union involvement, hoping the federal government will see the merits of the state and districts working with teachers.
Ah, nobody likes you.
Hasn't anyone told you teachers are the problem these days?
Yesterday’s announcement brought disappointment and prompted finger-pointing in the Legislature, where the promise of $250 million in additional education aid had been held out as a carrot to help coax balky lawmakers into backing the major education overhaul. Many lawmakers had been reluctant to support the package because it paved the way for more charter schools, which have long been opposed by teachers’ unions that wield considerable influence in elections.
Yeah, HOW DOES IT FEEL to be BETRAYED?
Not too good, huh?
Now you know why WE ARE FURIOUS OUT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
“I was disappointed, very disappointed, because I think we had all been led to believe that our application was in very good shape,’’ Senate President Therese Murray.
Imagine HOW WE FEEL after all the WAR LIES, huh?
I mean, you guys are just talking about a stiffing on a stinky ejerkashen bill!
House minority leader Bradley H. Jones Jr., who was among the 35 House lawmakers to vote against the overhaul, blamed Patrick for not capitalizing on his close ties to Obama to help Massachusetts qualify for the aid.
Yeah, WTF?
Federal education officials have said that political influence would play no role in their decision-making.
They certainly went out of there way to prove it.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who has been pushing for the funds to help improve Boston’s struggling schools, said he was “somewhat disappointed.’’
“We just have to continue to work harder at it,’’ he said.
Yeah, slave away for the state some more.
Too bad. We really needed the money:
"Schools bracing for deep cutbacks; With stimulus funds gone, no relief in sight" by Peter Schworm, Globe Staff | January 13, 2010
School administrators across the state are crafting bleak budgets for the next school year and warning of steep cutbacks, including teacher layoffs, to cope with a probable sharp drop in funding from Beacon Hill and dwindling federal stimulus money.
Though schools grappled with thinned-down budgets last year, they got relief from a massive infusion of federal education dollars that is now all but spent, and officials are bracing for cuts that go deep into the classroom....
Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees:
“There’s an unprecedented level of angst, and it’s evolving into anger.’’
So?
Most school budgets remain in the blueprint stage, as educators wait for Governor Deval Patrick to unveil his spending plan later this month, an announcement that will begin the months-long budget process in earnest. Some school leaders are reluctant to discuss potential layoffs, wary of harming teachers’ morale. But many said the emerging scope of the crisis makes staff reductions nearly inevitable, with the state reeling from anemic tax collections and residents reluctant to approve property tax increases.
“Over the last couple of years, schools have tried their best to avoid it,’’ said Thomas Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. “They’ve virtually annihilated everything else: administrators, textbooks, supplies, infrastructure needs. But now there’s no place for them to go but into the marrow of the classroom.’’
I'm so glad I am dun with skul.
While the economy is showing some signs of life, Massachusetts still faces a yawning budget deficit, with one budget watchdog group placing it at $3 billion.
Pushing the economic crapola even then, 'eh?
Last year, the state aggressively tapped its savings and spent the bulk of the roughly $800 million in education funds from the federal stimulus package to minimize budget losses. This year, state leaders do not have that luxury.
“Every city and town is likely to face steep local aid cuts,’’ said Samuel R. Tyler, president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau. “You just don’t know how steep.’’
Related: Locals the Losers in Massachusetts
In recent weeks, state officials have warned local school administrators to expect sharp cuts in local subsidies, although legislators will not determine the final total for several months. In poorer school systems that rely heavily on state assistance, the prospect is alarming....
Legislative leaders have told educators to expect cuts in school assistance, which enjoys strong public support and is fiercely protected by advocates. But given the magnitude of the state’s financial hole, many assume that every budget item is on the table....
Well, NOT EVERY ONE!
The Massachusetts Model: Tax-Exempt Memory Hole
Those Are the (Tax) Breaks in Massachusetts
Massachusetts won’t disclose tax break plans for firms
Yup, either thrown into a loser or profitable company that doesn't need the break.
What could YOUR SCHOOL do with $45 MILLION, huh, Massachusetts?
The budget calls for teachers to go without a cost-of-living salary increase for a second straight year, and many educators predict that financial constraints will make contract negotiations between administrators and teachers more contentious.
Yeah, I can see where teachers get the 'tude.
Related: No Apple For This Teacher
But we have no money for classrooms!!!
“We’re extremely concerned,’’ said Anne Wass, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. “Last year, I don’t think the layoffs were as bad as expected because of the stimulus money. Now, it looks like we’re going to be facing some incredibly lean years.’’
Hey, you know where the money is going:
The Massachusetts State Budget
So where did all that INCREASED TAX REVENUE GO, huh, teach?
Related: Massachusetts Meals Tax
That is ALL THEY KNOW how to do around here, and somehow the money just DISAPPEARS!!
Several difficult budget cycles have left schools with virtually no financial margin, others said.
“At some point it all comes home to roost,’’ Scott said.--more--"
Also see: The Massachusetts Machete
Oops, correction(?):
"Patrick says gap in budget $100m less than forecast" by Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | March 31, 2010
Governor Deval Patrick said yesterday that a midyear budget gap discovered earlier this month is not as large as initially forecast and proposed closing the shortfall through a mix of spending cuts and money from the state’s reserve fund.
Administration officials said the shortfall, which they initially predicted could reach $295 million, is instead $195 million. Of that, about $77 million will be covered by the federal government in reimbursements to the state’s Medicaid program, leaving the state to cover the remaining $118 million....
About $600 million is left in the rainy day account....
Yeah, they have millions sitting around as they whack the budget!
Anybody tell them it has been pouring here?
The new shortfall, administration officials said, was largely driven by increased demand for services in the economic crisis.
The state spent $125 million more than anticipated on Medicaid, the joint state and federal health insurance program for low-income residents, as well as $19 million more than anticipated for homeless shelters, officials said. The figure also includes $7.2 million that the state spent on the special US Senate election in January.
Yeah, thanks, Ted.
And now we have to pay for another one to replace Brown.
Good thing you are swimming in cash, Massachusetts.
Administration officials insisted that the blueprint offered yesterday will not result in reduced services because it relies mostly on redirecting money from programs that were given more than they needed.
(Blog editor just stares in stunned disbelief)
The plan, for example, reduces spending on reimbursements to local communities that host charter schools by $4.5 million, but officials said that too much had been set aside in that account and that communities would receive everything owed. The plan also takes $3 million from the Department of Children and Families, money that administration officials said the child protection agency does not need because it has been using less costly services.
These guys are in charge of the budget, huh?
In addition, administration officials said, the plan relies on savings in the state’s debt payments. For example, officials said, the administration has learned that $8.8 million in Big Dig debt and $11 million in debt on the state’s bridge repair program that it had initially expected to pay this year will not come due until next year.
Yup, have to pay the banks first.
Related: The Big Pit
Massachusetts Democrats Keep Making the Same Mistakes
Yeah, you will never get out from under that monstrosity, Massachusetts.
The administration also proposed taking $50 million in surplus money from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, a reserve account recently established to pay down debt on highway repairs and construction projects.
What more needs to be said?
“In these challenging economic times,’’ Patrick said in a statement, “it is critical we maintain our safety net services for residents most in need.’’
Related: Mass. Budget Cutters Are Mentally Ill
Mass. Kicks Cripples to the Curb
Can hardly wait to November to get rid of this guy!
Update:
"The new system, state education leaders say, should offer educators a wealth of new information about what may or may not be working in classroom instruction, which teachers are having the greatest effect, and which students are not living up to their potential.
--more--"
So when are they going to come up with a measurement for lying, looting legislators?
