I’m an elementary educator in Massachusetts public schools, retiring in June after 22 years of teaching. I’m also a mom. I know too well, from all angles, the painful impact of Massachusetts’ inability to fully fund our schools. Here are a few snapshots: when I started teaching first grade in 1997, I had 14 students and a full time bilingual aide. Twelve years later, I had 26 students and no aide. Among those 26 students, I had more English language learners (many of them newcomers to English), more students with learning disabilities, and more students suffering from childhood trauma. I am currently a Title 1 Math teacher, but even teaching eight groups a day, I can only serve half the grades in my school. My school needs two of me. My math intervention is extremely effective in getting children up to grade level so they will not need an IEP, but I can only provide services in first, second and third grade because there’s only one of me. There is an urgent public education funding crisis facing Massachusetts. That’s why I’m rallying with students, family members, community members, educators, principals, school staff, and local elected officials, on the streets and at the State House next week to urge passage of the PROMISE Act, which will increase state education aid by $1 billion per year for preK-12 public schools. I will be taking a personal day on Friday, March 22 and making a five hour bus trip to Boston and back to testify before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education to seize this generational opportunity to fully fund our schools. Please join me in demanding action from our lawmakers for fair and equitable public education for every student in the Commonwealth. Back in 2015, the bipartisan Massachusetts Foundation Budget Review Commission found that the Commonwealth’s public school funding formula is woefully outdated and that state spending is way too low. Remember, the formula for education spending hasn’t been updated since 1993! This has created crises at the local level with cities and towns and our schools having to make drastic cuts, all of which harm our children’s education. It’s time to say ENOUGH! The Promise Act, filed by Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston) and by Reps. Aaron Vega (D-Holyoke) and Mary Keefe (D-Worcester), would over a period of time implement the five core recommendations of the Commission. The bulk of the additional funds would go to districts with the greatest need and fewest resources. The formula would be changed to: **Realistically account for districts’ health care costs. **Provide adequate support for English learners and low income students. **Account for special education costs. **Mitigate losses to charter schools. The bill is also structured to ensure that **every district** benefits during the phase-in of reforms and that no one type of reform is front-loaded or back-loaded. And, of course we also have to account for the unique and pressing needs of rural schools like regional transportation and declining enrollment, an effort that gained ground last year, but must go much further this session. We live in precarious times. An educated, creative, hard-working and compassionate citizenry is the best hope for our future. If we shortchange our schools, we weaken our democracy and jeopardize our future. It’s time to fund our future now. Please—for all our children—call for this major reinvestment in public education to happen in time for local communities to include the funding in the next academic year’s budget. We can begin to repair the persistent education inequity that often exists between students in one community and those in the city or town right next door.

It is for Challenge Class. You also shouldn't call people names that they don't like. You should stand up for yourself and others or the hate will go on.

News that super wealthy families have bought their way into colleges across the country shouldn’t come as a shock—we all know the system is rigged. But what is shocking is that there are still perfectly legal ways to stack the deck against communities of color and white working-class students. The legacy system, where getting into a college is weighted toward studies whose families had the privilege to attend, is still considered a legitimate way to get into college. There are many ways to make college more fair and accessible, and as we work on those solutions to our education crisis that keeps the benefits of higher education out of reach of so many, we must dismantle the legacy admission system.

This petition is to request that the Mount Greylock School Committee take immediate steps to effectively exercise its mandated supervisory role in evaluating and addressing the turnover of union and non-union personnel experienced at the district and school level since the current Superintendent was promoted to Assistant Superintendent in July of 2016. It cannot be that the School Committee views such turnover as routine, let alone indicative of effective and appropriate top-level leadership. We are concerned about the impact on our school community. Background: The list of non-union positions “vacated” includes - Custodial Supervisor at Lanesborough Elementary (Administrative Leave) - Administrative Assistant Lanesborough Elementary School - Principal Lanesborough Elementary School - Cafeteria Manager Mount Greylock - Maintenance/Facilities Director (out on leave) (District) - Interim Director of Pupil Services - Director of Pupil Services (out on leave) (District) - Compliance Monitoring Assistant/Pupil Services Coordinator (now "Team Leader") (District) - Bookkeeper/Business Assistant (District/Central Office) - Treasurer (District/Central Office) - Office Assistant (District/Central Office) - Administrative Assistant/HR Specialist (District/Central Office) - Administrative Assistant to Superintendent/HR (District/Central Office) - Business Manager (District/Central Office - Superintendent (District/Central Office) Please this in not a place for comments about anyones children or families. Thank you

As an alumni of Wilson High School, I find an open racist working as a history teacher unacceptable for our city's children. Mr. Jankanish's recent op-ed in The News Tribune opposing a bill encouraging ethnic studies displays his racism for all to see. He should not be teaching in our schools. https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/article227315034.html?fbclid=IwAR3ab-_UjExQvKvQixR-KqF2yxWK5H5TJ9vw0Gr6kyy0m4mD0ekq1nC1Flg

Current placement criteria for 9th graders are unduly restrictive

The Elk River community has been waiting too long, and can’t seem to get a straight answer from any local, state or federal agency as to what the hold up on replacing the schools. We have been patient. We initially believed what we were told, and accepted it. Enough is enough! We have an entire community of children whose entire high school experience will be in a portable high school, which, is of course a joke among other schools. We have children who will have been in a shared elementary from 3rd-5th grades, a shared middle school from 6-8 grades and a portable high school for potentially 1-2 years, depending on exactly when, and if the new high school is built. This is inexcusable. To live 20 minutes from the Capital of WV and see families that are still waiting on their FEMA buy back funds is reprehensible. It is impossible for the area to bounce back from the catastrophics losses of family homes and community schools without at least some faith that our government is going to do as they said they would. We as tax payers have a right to know what is going on, and our children deserve better. If you can imagine yourself or your child in this situation, I am certain you would use everything within your power to investigate the issues, and immediately begin to right the wrongs that have been done.

Mrs.Floyd-Cooper is very lost when it comes to dealing with students issue in MLK Middle, she handles investigations poorly and if she does not like a child/parent she lets it be known by intimidation and threatening to suspend your child for false information and will think it’s okay by just saying I’m sorry I did not know at the time. I know this because it happened to my child that attends MLK Middle. Her promises sound good and will give you hope but it’s a front! I stand strong on saying she is not equipped to deal with Middle school or High school students, she has more of an elementary skill and as parents we should know our kids are different and problems with students don’t resolve as easy like elementary school. MLK Middle needs a principal who will really listen to the students concerns, support them academically by all means and implement a bully/harrasment/intimidating free policy in school and not make decisions based of how she personally feels about a student/parent. PGCPS needs to remove her and place someone with more experience dealing with middle schoolers. Please sign if you agree.

Over 600 students participate in independent study programs throughout Marin County without oversight by the Marin County Office of Education. There is a potential solution that would offer a program that would provide accountability.

To whom it may concern: Unfortunate events have come to my attention with Southern Vermont College in Bennington's closure set for this coming spring. It is to much dismay that I heard that after the New England Commission of Higher Educations (NECHE) hearing last week, that the best way to proceed is to close the school altogether. Being an alumni 11' I have experienced all Southern Vermont College truly has to offer upon transferring there in 2009. Though I was never an above average student in high school, I was able to succeed at a very high academic level once I arrived in Bennington. The warm welcomes from faculty and staff treated us as one of their own children. At SVC one was not merely a number, as is the situation at many other colleges and universities, we were a family. Additionally, with the faculty that strives for each and every single student's well being, this never went unnoticed to myself or many of the others with whom I've attended, and past alumni as well. As I stated, SVC's sprawling 371-acre campus allowed so many to evolve and come into their own from a personal and academic sense. Without SVC I'm unsure where life would have brought me or if I'd still be here today. This vision echos with all my former classmates and alumni as well. This small close-knit school in Bennington, Vermont brought us all together as a family, from strong academics and professors to the Division III programs it offered. I even followed my former assistant coach for baseball there. While here, possibilities were endless for all. I'm so saddened by the fact not only will newer students not be able to fulfill their dreams of becoming a Southern Vermont alum but additionally, all the faculty and staff will need to find new employment. For some this may be all they know and others may welcome the opportunity. However, in December of 2010 events changed my life as a whole; I was diagnosed with cancer. During these trying times of my life, my family and friends wanted me to undergo treatments back home in CT. However, I opted to stay in Bennington with my family from Southern Vermont college. My lifelong friends, my mentors, my teachers, and my president at the time, Karen Gross, I knew were all there for me. Over the next six months of treatment every day with chemotherapy, I still attended classes. My teachers offered any additional assistance, as did my President, with whom at the time I was in a class. With them by my side and Southwest Vermont Medical Center, which is a world class hospital, I knew I could accomplish everything and still walk at graduation, which I did that May. Aside from this, it is not about me, it is about all who ever graced the presence of 982 Mansion Drive. It brought together younger as well as older students from diverse backgrounds, demographically as well as culturally. It brought together lifelong bonds and friendships through athletics, with friendships that will last a lifetime. Additionally, some of the best mentors and teachers I've ever encountered came from SVC and I owe everything I have thus far, as well as my second chance to each and everyone I've come in contact with at the school. I've seen breakups and makeups there as well as now husbands and wives. Former students to teachers and lawyers alike. Athletes that took it to the next level after playing collegiality. Whether you were from the country, the suburbs or inner city, we were all equal and could not have done it without Southern Vermont. Furthermore, I know many other factors come into play, finances being one of them as they play a part in every aspect of life as well. I understand the struggles financially SVC was incurring over the past several years, though I do not have an accurate number. I still feel it's probably in the millions. However, Bruce Laumeister had donated the Bennington Center of the Arts to Southern Vermont in 2017. During this transfer, Mr. Laumeister stated, "It's been a great ride" "But the BCA is only ending physically, not mentally. We'll be around." He further indicated he wanted it to stay in the community and Southern Vermont can be a better source, which is all the programs and classroom space it provides, which gives a real history to not only Bennington but Vermont as a whole, and it was a strong move in the correct direction for the Arts in the surrounding area. Now what happens with that as well? Not only will teachers be displaced, so will faculty, so will coaches, so will shuttle drivers. The list is immense; now this trickles to the Laumeister Center as those individuals will be affected as well. This is going to be a very sad chain of events and a community that was becoming more vibrant and artsy and opportunistic once again will now see decreased jobs, lack of those close to gaining an education. This will then result in the population being uneducated to a higher level degree. Furthermore, from here the area will go back to a former industrial city with not much job opportunity and not much growth to be had. This will then lead to increased crime rates and drug usage and a lower employment level to boot. Doesn't one see the chain of events that is going to take effect? SVC has so much potential and it shows in the alumni and community. What I'm asking is how can we save it? Yes, financially was the reason why they will be closing - how can that be fixed? SVC was a private school so it receives less state funding. What are the options, donors board of trustees? But they clearly don't have faith anymore as they gave the go-ahead to close the doors. However, if SVC drops from a private school to a public university in Vermont, won't that open more opportunities for grants? Keeping enrollment up for those wanting to stay local? Keeping higher education a priority as well as financially beneficial for the state? What can be done? I know there are many more specifics, however, with every a...

Middlesex Community College cannot continue to sideline students with tuition hikes. We want an affordable education, transparency regarding where our tuition dollars are going, and student voting power in the Board of Trustees to keep our administration accountable. Tuition acts as a filter of collegiate student candidates, separating out those who can afford to pay large amounts of money to attend school each year from those who cannot. It is unfair to create divides in this way and let people be disadvantaged due to their financial situation. Our demands boil down to three main points - affordability, transparency, and accountability: 1. Affordability We want a promise that tuition will not rise for the next 5 years until questions of Affordability, Transparency, and Accountability can be answered. 2. Transparency We want to know where our money is going with a clear tuition breakdown that can be understood by both students and parents. 3. Accountability Student Involvement: We want students to be involved in important decision-making that affects us. We hope to achieve this through the appointment of a student trustee who has voting power. We need Student-Administrative oversight to keep our university accountable to us.

To achieve better communication and leadership skills for all MBA students at CSUEB.