Bill > H610

This bill permanently establishes the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC), a special commission charged with reviewing how Massachusetts calculates school funding every five years. The commission will comprehensively examine the foundation budget, which determines the baseline funding for public schools, with the goal of identifying the educational programs and services necessary to help students achieve passing scores on statewide assessments. The commission will include diverse representation from education, government, and stakeholder organizations, such as legislative education committee chairs, the secretary of education, commissioners of elementary and secondary education and early education, legislative leaders, and representatives from various educational associations. Members will not be compensated but can receive expense reimbursements, and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education will provide staff support. The bill requires the commission to conduct at least four public hearings across different regions of Massachusetts and mandates that its first report be filed by November 1, 2025. Notably, the bill includes provisions to prevent conflicts of interest by allowing state employees and school district employees to serve on the commission while establishing procedures to avoid direct deliberations that might personally benefit them.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H610