Malden Education Association

An affiliate of the MTA & NEA

Message from MTA President and Vice President

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The MTA Board of Directors voted unanimously on Saturday, December 8, to endorse and finance the Fund Our Future campaign. The goal of the Fund Our Future campaign is to pass legislation by May 1, 2018, to increase state funding for public education by more than $1.5 billion a year. This would mean more than $1 billion for public schools and more than $500 billion for public higher education. Imagine what this funding could be used for and what this funding could do for our students!

Fund Our Future

Exciting news! By unanimous vote of the MTA Board of Directors, the Fund Our Future campaign is underway.

Posted by Massachusetts Teachers Association on Saturday, December 8, 2018

 

Massachusetts School Funding in a Nutshell

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Massachusetts School Funding in a Nutshell ( post from: https://massteacher.org/current-initiatives/fund-our-future/prek-12-schools )

The nonpartisan Foundation Budget Review Commission found in 2015 that the state is underfunding our schools by more than $1 billion a year. Too many schools lack adequate staff, enrichment programs, books, technology and supplies. Too many students don’t receive the academic, social and emotional support they need to thrive. For this campaign, we will be urging legislators to update the foundation budget formula and fully fund it for Massachusetts public school students now and in the future.
Mac for FBRC
This is what computers looked like the year that the state’s education formula was instituted.
  1. FOUNDATION BUDGET. In 1993, the Legislature approved a foundation budget formula that determines how much each district must spend to provide all students with an adequate education. Spending requirements vary based on student demographics (e.g., educating low-income students costs more), the distribution of students across grade levels and programs (e.g., English learner, vocational), and local and regional wage levels (e.g., teacher salaries are presumed to be higher in high-wage areas).
  2. REQUIRED LOCAL CONTRIBUTION. The state calculates how much each city and town must contribute toward the foundation budget requirement. Local contributions vary based on property values and income (e.g., low-income communities are required to pay less) as well as growth in local revenues.
  3. CHAPTER 70 AID. The state makes up for the difference between the required local contribution and the foundation budget requirement with Chapter 70 aid. It also provides a guaranteed annual aid increment to each district. (Districts may receive additional money from grant programs and from the federal government, but most state funding comes through Chapter 70.)
  4. SPENDING ABOVE FOUNDATION. Cities and towns are free to spend more than the required minimum on their schools, and many do. Some wealthy districts spend twice as much as required. Most low-income communities cannot afford to spend much more than required. That’s the main reason there are big education spending gaps in Massachusetts.

MEA Update

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Hello, Members/Friends/Colleagues:

Below you will find an update regarding a few things going on in the Malden Education Association!

School Committee and City Council

As many of you may know, the Malden Education Association endorsed three candidates for School Committee and three candidates for City Council. I am pleased to report that two of our endorsed candidates for School Committee were elected (congratulations Jennifer Spadafora and Catherine Bordonaro) and all three of our endorsed candidates for City Council were elected (congratulations Stephen Winslow, Debbie DeMaria, and David Camell)! The Malden Education Association is excited to welcome new members to both the School Committee and City Council!

Legislative Action

On November 20, 2017, members of the Malden and Melrose Education Associations, community members and elected officials in Malden (Councillor-at-Large DeMaria, Ward 5 School Committee Member Beardsley, and Ward 3 School Committee Member-Elect Spadafora), MTA Vice President Erik Champy, MTA Executive Committee member Matthew Bach, MTA Board member Peter Lahey, and MTA Field Representative Lisa Nazzaro met at The Dockside Restaurant in Malden with Senator Jason Lewis and Representative Paul Donato. Productive and positive conversations around pro-public education legislation was had by all with both Senator Lewis and Representative Donato reaffirming their support for MTA legislative items and their support for the Fair Share Amendment, Paid Family and Medical Leave, and the Fight for $15. Representatives Steve Ultrino and Paul Brodeur sent their regrets and hope to make it to our next legislative meeting.

Malden High School

In light of Malden High School Principal, Ted Lombardi, announcing his resignation the Malden Education Association would like to congratulate Unit B member, Chris Mastrangelo, for his willingness to step in as Interim Principal of Malden High School effective January 4, 2018. We wish Chris the best of luck as he transitions out of his current role and into his new role!

MTA Campaign School

Have you ever thought about running for office? The MTA Campaign School will be offered at the 2018 MTA Summer Conference which is held at UMass Amherst from August 5-9. There is no cost to MTA members accepted into the program. To apply for MTA Campaign School or for more information, please click here. 

If you would like more information on an upcoming informational session regarding MTA Campaign School for our region, please reply to this e-mail! As a “graduate” of the first MTA Campaign School class I can tell you that it is a very valuable experience!

In Solidarity, 

Deb Gesualdo
President
Malden Education Association

 

Malden School Committee Votes to Oppose Lifting Charter Cap

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In a 7-2 vote on Monday, May 2, the Malden School committee made the decision to sign and send a resolution to the state in opposition to lifting the charter school cap.  To read the full article in the Malden Observer click here.  If you would like to become involved in the fight against lifting the charter school cap, please go to http://saveourpublicschoolsma.com/ to join the campaign to save our public schools!

Deb Gesualdo, MEA Vice President

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