How excitement over Gov. Healey’s proposed school funding quickly fizzled

State Education Secretary Stephen Zrike stood before a crowd in the State House in mid-July, plugging a “tremendous win” for students and teachers — a $100 million spending bill with money for every single school district. 

Almost four weeks later, it looks premature to have called a win. No one even picked up the ball. 

Gov. Maura Healey announced her $100 million proposal to applause, and the press release her office sent out was declarative: "Governor Healey Boosts Schools Funding to Retain Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Mental Health Counselors." 

Bill supporters in the Healey administration and teachers unions said passing it quickly could help avoid tough budgetary trade-offs, like layoffs or cuts to extracurriculars and student supports, in the coming school year. 

But just about as soon as stores started advertising their back-to-school sales, Healey's proposed funding boost ran into skepticism in the Legislature. 

House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz called it "unprecedented" for the governor to come back to the Legislature seeking to supplement the annual budget she'd signed just six days prior. 

“The ink hasn't dried yet on the actual FY ‘27 budget, so I think we'd like to see that kind of be implemented first,” Michlewitz said on July 22. Referring to the main school aid line item, he added, “I think there's a lot of concerns related to raising that Chapter 70 number further, may further complicate things for future budgets.”

It’s not a surprise, then, that Michelwitz’s committee didn’t advance Healey’s school funding bill, letting it languish as the July 31 deadline for action on most major bills came and went. 

The money wouldn’t have been a silver bullet, not even making up for inflationary pressures in some districts, says American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. But, she says, the $100 million Healey sought would have had real impacts. 

“One, that districts would not have to cut as many staff as they’ve already had to cut, and that students would actually then be able to have more of the services and attention supports they need and opportunities they need that otherwise would not be available without those critical staff members,” Tang said. 

Tang said the union felt a sense of urgency around getting the funding through this summer, so districts could re-hire laid-off staff before the fall. 

Healey’s likely to file more supplemental budgets as the year goes on, including one expected soon to close the books on the fiscal year that ended in June. 

It’s worth watching whether the governor, who recently dusted off her bully pulpit to nudge along energy bill negotiators, will press the issue again, or if lawmakers grow any warmer to the idea once kids are back in school and the ink on this year’s budget is more fully cured.

What’s the back-to-school outlook, budgetary or otherwise, in your district? Fill me in at [email protected].

7:30 | Healey-Driscoll administration sends off a second deployment of 10 wildland firefighters from the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Fish and Game's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to assist with fire response in northern Minnesota | DCR Fire Control District 6 Headquarters, 841 Lowell St., Carlisle

9:30 | Community college faculty and staff hold standout and rally "to protest stalled contract bargaining and attempts by campus presidents to prevent workers from participating in negotiations," according to the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Mass. Community College Council members will be joined by MTA President Matt Bach and Vice President Deb Gesualdo | Outside Harrington Learning Center at Quinsigamond Community College, 670 West Boylston St., Worcester

10:30 | Gov. Healey announces a statewide outreach and education campaign to "help MassHealth members understand and navigate new federal Medicaid requirements" | Make It Haverhill, 59 Orchard St, Haverhill

11:00 | Attorney General Campbell is a guest on GBH News' Boston Public Radio | GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., Boston | GBH 89.7FM

12:00 | Congressman Lynch is scheduled to appear on GBH News' Boston Public Radio | GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., Boston | GBH 89.7FM

12:00 | Republican candidate for U.S. Senate John Deaton hosts a virtual campaign update | Zoom Link

3:30 | State officials welcome an initial crew of DCR and MassWildlife firefighters back from their deployment to northern Minnesota | 841 Lowell St., Carlisle

Lead Organizer / VISTA and Civic Engagement Project Coordinator — NEW, Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants

Senior Government Relations Specialist, Boston Children’s Hospital

Grants and Development Specialist II, Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Senior Manager of External Affairs, Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate

Transportation Planner, City of Malden

Senior Director, City Talent and Student Career Pathways, Harvard Kennedy School

Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Job board continues below the fold — post a job

ABORTION LAW POLITICS: Gov. Healey signed a law making it easier for women in Massachusetts to get abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy, saying as she did that "abortion is on the ballot" in this year's election. One Republican running for governor, Brian Shortsleeve, says he would have signed the same law, while the other, Mike Minogue, says he'd rather see voters decide the issue than politicians. | Boston Globe

DEBT DEBATE: Debt collectors and some healthcare providers are pushing back against Gov. Healey's plan to block medical debt from being reported to credit agencies, warning of less accurate credit decisions and impacts on small practices. | State House News Service (gift link)

READING UP: A new state law setting standards for how libraries review and remove books has roots in the 2023 removal of a book from a North Attleboro elementary school library following a parent complaint. | The Sun Chronicle

FALL RIVER FALLOUT: A final vote is expected in October on new rules that would make Massachusetts the first state to require building owners to check for and replace recalled sprinkler heads. The proposed code change comes after the deadly 2025 fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River. | WCVB

GENERATING A PAUSE: A Middlesex County judge ordered Markley Lowell to pause installation of four backup diesel generators while a lawsuit neighbors filed against the data center expansion proceeds. The broader challenge to the company's air permit is expected to be resolved by next April. | The Sun

HEART TO HUB: Worcester leaders continue to call for the return of more express commuter rail service between their city and Boston, along with other recommendations in a working group's report. | MassLive

AIR CEASE ‘N’ DESIST: After Easthampton passed an ordinance in March regulating Airbnbs and other short-term rentals for the first time, dozens of the properties ended up with cease-and-desist notices on their front doors this summer. | Daily Hampshire Gazette

NORFOLK REPORT: A recent report from the state inspector general's office makes the case that former Norfolk town administrator Justin Casanova-Davis, now the town manager in Bridgewater, manipulated his vacation time for financial gain and failed to adequately supervise another Norfolk employee who was misusing town resources. | NBC10 Boston

First Round of Springfield Courthouse Lawsuit Comes to a Head, but the Battlefield Has Grown

What Massachusetts's new ICE law protects, and what it doesn’t

Electricity suppliers overcharged New England consumers billions of dollars over past decade, report says

Mass. cannabis consumers are concerned about potency, tax spending, finds study

Boston city councilor calls for ‘emergency’ meeting to address summer violence: ‘Untenable’

Townsend Town Clerk files motion to dismiss his public records suit against the town

Peabody to discuss data center regs Thursday, no projects currently proposed

Miss Hall's Head of School Julia Heaton to step down after 2026-27 school year

Vice President, Strategic Communications, United Way of Mass Bay

Community Engagement Manager – Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative, Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative

Federal Policy & Municipal Affairs Director, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Director of Policy and Planning, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Deputy Chief Fiscal Officer for Procurement and Contracts, Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General

Field Director, Massachusetts Association of School Committees

Human Resources Business Partner, Recruitment & Retention, City of Newton

Mid-Career Fellowship, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Program Analyst, Massachusetts Housing Partnership

Senior Investigator, AOI, Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General

Associate, Shepherd Strategies

Project Accountant, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)

Public Affairs Manager, Bentley University

Director, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, UMass Lowell