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Rockport leaders sign and forward Chapter 70 advocacy memo, urge state action on funding formula
Summary
Superintendent Branca shared a four‑page advocacy memo created by regional superintendents criticizing the 1993 Chapter 70 funding formula and said the memo, submitted to DESE, highlights special education and transparency problems in the state's school funding approach.
Superintendent Mark Branca reported the North Shore superintendent roundtable prepared a four‑page advocacy memo outlining problems with Massachusetts' Chapter 70 funding formula and said the group submitted testimony to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Branca said the memo argues the formula "was designed in 1993" and no longer adequately measures modern costs, calling out special education as "the most significant structural failure in the formula." He said the memo was circulated to legislative contacts and that the roundtable hopes the evidence will inform state committees considering funding changes.
Committee members asked where the memo was sent and how the district would use it in local advocacy; Branca said he would share the PDF with the select board and finance committee and encouraged committee members to use it in advocacy work such as day‑on‑the‑hill events.
