FYI from BSF, 12.06.19
Some things we have read through recently…
It’s Infrastructure Week!
The Globe’s Great Divide series looked into the issue of school buildings and school construction. With a big spotlight on Lynn, cruel math demonstrates increasing, often high-need student population plus limited municipal and state revenue equals bad buildings.
Of course, building conditions matter for student learning and health.
Not a subtle lede:
If you have not spent a lot of time in public school buildings, the conditions described may have been surprising, even shocking; but, what is truly surprising is that they are typical.
Lynn, Boston, even Massachusetts are not exceptional. At the turn of the century, over 3 out of 4 of all schools in America were already approaching 30 years old. It is hard to not trace a line between this data point, the current state of roads and transit, and the fundamental economic and governmental shifts following the Baby Boom.
The current conditions took a long time to develop, so there are no easy answers.
Will more money solve this?
As the Globe implies, new state funding will not solve this problem. New funds will be tied directly to high-need students - this is likely to be interpreted as new staffing, programming, and resources, not actual new classrooms. Plus, anyone who has managed a long-term budget would tell you it is foolhardy to think you can drive capital investment through operating expenses.
But there must be Massachusetts cities or towns solving for this?
Didn’t Newton spend $200M on a high school? $128M for a middle/high school in Duxbury? $130M for Wellesley High? Yes.
And, on the flipside, Brookline does not have a new elementary school coming online. Holyoke won’t have more facilities funding available next year, right? Yes.
Why? Because people voted.
Following Massachusetts law, there are limits on increasing taxes annually (“Proposition 2 ½”). However, voters can override this provision, including for capital expenditures. This vote, combined with state funds through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), is how most communities afford school construction.
The new Student Opportunity Act does distribute some state funds more progressively, but it does nothing to limit the arms race of local, wealthy school districts raising taxes to improve school programs and build new buildings.
Nor does it do anything to curb the cost of school construction. As hard as the MSBA tries, it is hard to keep up with our region’s steep real estate and labor costs, which means less projects.
In sum, the regulations, economics, and politics of school buildings are brutal. This is piqued in urban and rural school districts where the majority of the students and families are economically disadvantaged, and therefore are relying on other citizens to carry the cost of schools.
Case in point: in 2015, Boston launched its much discussed 10-year master facilities plan BuildBPS.
Notes in the Margin
Right before Thanksgiving, in full pep rally fashion at English High, Governor Baker signed the Student Opportunity Act into law. Excluding charter reimbursements, Boston is projected to receive around $100M in additional state funds over the next seven years - that equals a little more than a penny per dollar.
Feature or bug? Research indicates GreatSchools steers families away from schools with a majority of students of color.
Boston School Committee met again Wednesday. There was a long, detailed presentation on enrollment (summary: it is declining). We will share, with an analysis, once the materials are posted.
The political narrative/concern that American children are losing education ground to international competitors rose to prominence with Sputnik in 1957 and really hasn’t come down since. The latest results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) pumped more fuel for this, with American students showing little progress since 2000, falling behind many countries and below the OECD average in math.
And, as expected, the flurry of takes:
Does this mean “ed reform” didn’t work?
Maybe the tests aren’t being scored fairly?
How does this sound in podcast form?
What does a random, self-selected group of people think?
School Matters
Tuesday’s snow day in Boston was the earliest one in the past five years. Other helpful snow trivia and surprisingly accurate predictions can be found at SnowDayBoston.
Watch a great clip on Boston School Finder on WBZ Eye on Education.
