Live reporting - Rep Vallee, Sen Spilka

a. State Representative Jim Vallee, Senator Karen Spilka

Rep Vallee - The budget is just starting, the presentation was impressive

Sen Spilka - Schools can be very responsive and creative
1st hearing Weds, Senate will work on its in May, House working now

Rep Vallee - the strides made in this community have been tremendous, these have brought so many new folks to the community as well. It is distressing to dismantle something that is doing so well, a portion of your budget is based upon State aid - you are so reliant State aid. School construction is now budgeted with a definite revenue stream after having gone wild several years ago. A challenge for us to continue to contribute to a quality education. The formula is so complicated, only one or two people perhaps know all the ins/outs.

Roy - I am so excited that you had a chance to see that presentation. We are down about 100 teachers but the spirit of the program remains in the system. No matter what adversities arise, they step up to them. I don't know if you can shed some light on what is coming down, we were delighted to see that the Governor's number didn't cut so much.

Sen Spilka - where as the school budget saw an increase in aid, other services (Dept of Mental Health, etc.) are stepping forward to ask for their cause. There may be some shifting around. Local aid and Chap 70 has been a priority for me. This budget will be the toughest budget yet, things will get better after this. We are on the rebound getting out of the recession. We are moving out of the recession faster than other states, rated 5th best state to do business in the nation. For those not employed or under-employed, this means nothing. Creating jobs is our number one priority. What ever we can do, the more jobs we can create, the healthier the revenue will be.

Roy - We are thankful that the two of you have returned to Beacon Hill. We appreciate the fact that you are helping us.

Rep Vallee - certainty is something to have, not something elusive, in our community we have been doing this for a while. State aid can't continue to rise every year, having some certainty we can at least make some plans. I get the calls too! It is hard. It is something I would like to see achieved.

Cafasso - We talk about local aid, it is 54% of our budget, we should be thankful, and we are. Both of you have done well by this district. It is time for the citizens to bear more of the burden for this district. We are very appreciative of your continued support.

Sen Spilka - I have been filing legislation in an attempt to find an alternative source to the property taxes.

Rohrbach - It is a scary position, when state aid goes down, it is a problem for us. How long will it take to adjust the huge cruise ship to a different model/ The circuit breaker is one item if we could close to the Gov's number. We pay about a million dollars for out of district transportation.

Sen Spilka- I did file legislation to help communities like this. All of them geared to reducing the cost of special education.

Glynn - thank you for your efforts. I attended a suburban coalition meeting last week. It is very disheartening to know, what we have been doing via cuts with what we have had and comparison to other towns where they get less state aid.  For something that is a national priority, you can’t expect to finance it via homeowners, that’s a broken financial model. We are talking about hundreds of kids here in Franklin, this effects thousands of kids nationwide.

Updated 2/16/11 via email from Bill Glynn

Rep Vallee - the model that we have, we were sued and lost. So the State passed Ed Reform to address that. The model is not sustainable. We patched the tire instead of fixing the model. There are a lot of people who agree with us. No one has come up with an acceptable solution. When you start contracting budgets, it forces you to look at things. To think outside the box to come up with a solution. We know the formula, we stabilize a country and educate the kids overseas. We need to change it here.

Sen Spilka - I was on the School Committee previously, my first intro to Beacon Hill was lobbying it. We need to get to critical mass. We did make a change five years ago. It was supposed to be on a five year plan. I am not sure aggregate income is the way to go. We did get some predictability from the Dept of Rev. We did make it simpler. It sill is not fully simple. The piece that eluded us is adequacy. The constitution mandates it but the definition of adequacy has changed. There are so many factors. The Dept of Ed is undertaking an adequacy study now. Hopefully by this summer, we'll have some results. What should be built into the funding formula. That I am hoping will be a springboard for the next round of ed reform.

Glynn - adequacy can not lie in the eyes of the beholder



Franklin, MA

Voices of Franklin: Vanessa Bilello

Dear Town of Franklin voters-

Community members may not realize the incredible time commitment that all who hold local, elected positions on School Committee or Town Council make to our town. Workshops, subcommittees, and other responsibilities extend far beyond an every other week meeting in Council Chambers. 

Being an active, engaged member requires not only passion for the issues, but also a willingness to balance professional and personal needs with intense demands of public service volunteer work. Several months ago, with elections quickly approaching, I announced my decision to not seek re-election for the Franklin School Committee. The demands were too much given my hectic life as a new public school principal and mom to two middle schoolers. 

In the Town of Franklin, all seven seats on School Committee (and Town Council) roll over every election. For this reason, I urge voters of Franklin to re-elect Mrs. Denise Schultz and Dr. Anne Bergen to the Franklin School Committee, so that they can continue the efforts that they began two years ago and serve as leaders for the newly-formed Committee.

I'm incredibly proud of the hard work and accomplishments during the last two years through the collaboration of our Franklin School Committee and the educators in our schools. Strong District and School Improvement Plans, successful labor negotiations and most critically, the hiring of our new Superintendent, Dr. Sara Ahern are highlights. 

I’m also especially proud of the addition of our active Community Relations subcommittee, which has been instrumental in facilitating dialogue between the community and school leaders on a variety of issues. A huge “thank you” must go out to Denise Schultz and Anne Bergen- for initiating and setting up avenues to engage with the citizens of Franklin through regular coffees and conversations around our town. 

Two-way dialogue is going to be key moving forward in the challenging budget times that Franklin is facing. Anne and Denise- through their dedication, outreach and partnership with other groups, such as the Joint PCCs and MASC, are models for integrated collaboration.

As a School Committee, we’ve established a new liaison role- to promote dialogue with state leadership, which will be critical moving ahead with the challenges of public school funding in our state. Denise Schultz has been instrumental in opening these avenues up and I do believe that while local involvement and budgeting are essential, partnering with area towns and state officials are paramount as we face the growing budgetary challenges of Massachusetts public schools. 

Additionally- improvements to several key policies. Denise has also played a huge role in ensuring that our Policy Sub-Committee tackled such issues as dress code, handbooks, school vacations, and homework. Her dedication and passion for these issues (as well as school start times, social-emotional welfare of our students, and nutrition in schools) make her an ideal choice to continue on the Committee.

I’d like to say thank you to the Franklin educators- teachers, administrators and staff of our district. Having been a colleague of theirs for years as a special educator, I know how incredibly hard they work to give our children the high quality education they benefit from. Despite being in the bottom 30 or so school districts across MA for funding, the education they provide our children is top notch. However, they are asked to do too much with too little. 

Increasing mandates upon our schools along with other budgetary demands, especially combined with the approximately $4.1 million we lose yearly to our area charter have resulted in cut after painful cut - foreign language, music, librarians, kindergarten support aides, so many more. These were not nice to haves- they were needs- and we’ve lost them. 

Mandates are not all bad as people think- they include new technology standards, more rigorous science standards, required mental health screenings, wellness curriculum and improvements to educator evaluation and supervision. I could go on and on. Many of these mandates require more time- and more money. Teaching digital learning and digital citizenship, for example, are expensive- and critical for our children entering the workforce of the future.

As an elementary school principal I can tell you two things we never have enough of- money and time. I would love to have foreign language for fourth graders- or more even just time to immerse students in lessons about kindness - but what do we give up in our packed schedules. And where do we find the money- there is not a growing pot to pull for these increasing needs.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Franklin Schools- please stay active and informed! Our schools need an active community behind them. I look forward to encouraging my fellow current School committee as they continue this critical work with proven leaders like Mrs. Schultz and Dr. Bergen. 

Alongside some new, incoming members and district leadership I know that they will create a strategic plan to set goals for our district and manage these budgetary constraints. Creative fixes are valiant, but the reality is our schools need more if we want to continue to provide high quality education for all our students- from the highest performing students in need of enrichment and extension, to the most challenged student who so greatly benefit from the various specialized support programs within our district. 

We cannot address the needs of our schools without a commitment to do whatever it takes to provide that to our children. The plight of our public schools here in Franklin are not unique. But given how low we are in terms of funding make these challenges especially alarming. 

So I implore my fellow Franklin citizens- get involved, learn about the needs of our schools and support our talented and dedicated educators in the public schools- with your support and commitment- through most importantly, with your pocketbooks, but also involvement, activism and engagement. 

It is essential that everyone who cares about the future of our town- and especially our children sitting in Franklin Public Schools, get out and vote on Tuesday, November 7th.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Bilello
Outgoing Member of the Franklin School Committee

Mass Senate Unveils Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care

 

Senate Unveils Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care

Bill works in tandem with landmark investments in mental and behavioral health
to transform mental health care delivery

Today (11/09/2021), the Massachusetts Senate unveiled its Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care (ABC) (S2572), comprehensive legislation to continue the process of reforming the way mental health care is delivered in Massachusetts, with the goal of ensuring that people get the mental health care they need when they need it. This legislation comes at a time when the Massachusetts State Senate is making landmark investments in mental and behavioral health, including $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to transform the behavioral health sector, with $122 million dedicated to recruiting and retaining nearly 2,000 behavioral professionals.

The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is driven by the recognition that mental health is as important as physical health for every resident of the Commonwealth and should be treated as such. The bill proposes a wide variety of reforms to ensure equitable access to mental health care and remove barriers to care by supporting the behavioral health workforce.

"This important bill will put policies place to ensure that people get the mental health care they need, when they need it and provide a national model for how we can create an integrated and comprehensive health care system that treats mental health the same as physical health," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "Out of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is reason for hope, because we are no longer talking about the need for quality mental and behavioral health care in whispers, shamed by stigma. As we all face the emotional difficulties and social isolation of the pandemic, people across our Commonwealth are talking about their struggles with mental health, and the call for quality mental health care is now a roar. I'd like to thank Senators Cyr, Friedman and Rodrigues for their hard work and collaboration on this bill, and the many advocates, individuals and families who have fought for changes to our mental health care delivery system and who have never given up."

"Too many people in Massachusetts struggle to access the mental health services they desperately need and deserve," said Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. "The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is an important step towards realizing the Senate's vision to transform how the Commonwealth addresses mental health. I am deeply grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka for her leadership and example, and to Senators Friedman and Rodrigues for their partnership in this most urgent endeavor." 

"For far too long, mental health has been a forgotten component of our healthcare system despite our statutory parity mandate that calls for equitable coverage between medical and surgical treatment and mental health treatment," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. "This bill serves as a first step forward in addressing the persisting inequities in our delivery of mental health services that keep patients from accessing the care they need, and will provide a framework for the state to better enforce our mental health parity laws. I want to thank Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and Senator Cyr for their thoughtful collaboration on this initiative and shared commitment to reforming our mental health care system so it is accessible, affordable, and equitable for all."

"The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is a landmark step toward making sure people can get the mental health care they need when they need it," said Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "The Senate's targeted investments in mental health in the ARPA bill and the FY22 budget have made it clear that cost of action on this issue is far less than the cost of inaction, for the sake of all residents of the Commonwealth. I applaud Senate President Spilka for her compassionate and steadfast leadership on this issue, and Senators Cyr and Friedman for their diligent work to build upon last session's ABC Act and put forward a comprehensive bill that will ensure equitable access to mental health care for all."

Additions to the original version of the Mental Health ABC Act contained in this legislation include: guaranteeing an annual mental health wellness exam at no cost to the patient; creating an online portal that enables access to real-time data to move patients from emergency to appropriate care; establishing a complex case resolution panel to help resolve barriers to care for children with complex behavioral health needs who find themselves in the emergency room; requiring the Office of the Child Advocate and the Health Policy Commission to issue reports on child emergency department boarding; creating a standard release form; expanding access to psychiatric care by requiring the state-contracted and commercial health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder benefits offered through the psychiatric collaborative care model; incentivizing investments in acute psychiatric services; and establishing an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion.

The following is an overview of The Mental Health ABC Act 2.0.

Ensuring Equitable Access to Mental Health Care

Guaranteeing Annual Mental Health Wellness Exams. The idea that a person's mental health is just as important as a person's physical health is the cornerstone of this reform. This bill would codify this principle by mandating coverage for an annual mental health wellness exam, comparable to an annual physical.

Enforcing Mental Health Parity Laws. Mental health parity as a concept is simple: insurance coverage for mental health care should be equal to insurance coverage for any other medical condition. This concept has been codified in federal and state law for decades, but enforcement of the law has been challenging. As a result, inequities persist, and patients are often denied coverage for mental health treatment that is every bit as critical to managing their health as treatment for diabetes or heart disease.

This bill provides the state with better tools to implement and enforce our parity laws by creating a clear structure for the Division of Insurance to receive and investigate parity complaints to ensure their timely resolution. Other tools include parity enforcement for commercial, state-contracted and student health insurance plans, greater reporting and oversight of insurance carriers' mental health care coverage processes and policies, and reasonable penalties and alternative remedies for when an insurance company does not comply with the law.

Addressing the Emergency Department Boarding Crisis. For many adults and children in the grips of a mental health crisis, the fastest way to get help is to go to a hospital emergency department (ED). Sadly, when they need to be admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit, it can be days, weeks, or even months before they're admitted. Meanwhile, the person must often wait in the ED, receiving little to no psychiatric care. This is referred to as 'ED boarding' and it has increased up to 400% since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Given the severity and urgency of the state's ED boarding crisis, this bill tackles the issue in several ways, by:

• Creating an ARPA-funded online portal that enables access to real-time data on and includes a search function that allows health care providers to easily search and find open beds using a number of criteria;

• Establishing a complex case resolution panel to help resolve barriers to care for children with complex behavioral health needs and would include representatives from several state and local health and education agencies working together to ensure a child's behavioral health needs are met in a timely manner;

• Requiring all hospital EDs to have a qualified behavioral health clinician available to evaluate and stabilize a person admitted to a hospital ED with a behavioral health presentation during all operating hours;

• Directing the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to produce an annual report on child ED boarding; and

• Tasking the Health Policy Commission (HPC) with conducting a statewide pediatric behavioral health assessment every five years to inform future policymaking.

Addressing ED boarding will help families experiencing acute mental health crises receive timely care.

Reimbursing Mental Health Providers Equitably. Mental health and primary care providers are reimbursed at different rates for the same service. The bill seeks to level the playing field for reimbursement to mental health providers by requiring an equitable rate floor for evaluation and management services that is consistent with primary care.

Reforming Medical Necessity and Prior Authorization Requirements. When an adult or child arrives in an emergency department in the throes of acute mental health crises requiring immediate treatment in an appropriate setting, clinical determinations should be made by the treating clinician. In practice, however, insurance carriers impose too many restrictions on providers' clinical judgement in terms of prior approval and concurrent review requirements for mental health services.

This results in barriers to, and delays in, treatment for patients who need immediate care, creating a dysfunctional system that allows insurance companies to have more leverage in determining a patient's course of treatment than health care providers.

This bill mandates coverage and eliminates prior authorization for mental health acute treatment and stabilization services for adults and children; requires MassHealth and commercial insurance companies to follow a uniform set of criteria established by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) for medical necessity and utilization management determinations for treatments for substance use disorder (SUD); and ensures that if a health insurance company intends to change its medical necessity guidelines, the new guidelines must be easily accessible by consumers on the health insurance company's website.

This bill also establishes a special commission to bring all stakeholders to the table to study and make recommendations on the creation of a common set of medical necessity criteria to be used by health care providers and insurance carriers for mental health services.

Creating a Standard Release Form. Behavioral health providers struggle in the era of electronic health records and care coordination to create systems that simultaneously protect an individual's right to consent to share sensitive health information and allow practitioners to access the information they need to treat the individual and coordinate care. This bill would direct the development of a standard release form for exchanging confidential mental health and substance use disorder information to facilitate access to treatment by patients with multiple health care providers.

Increasing Access to Emergency Service Programs. Emergency Service Programs (ESPs), which are community-based and recovery-oriented programs that provide behavioral health crisis assessment, intervention, and stabilization services for people with psychiatric illness, are currently covered by MassHealth. The bill would require commercial insurance companies to cover ESPs as well.

Expanding Access to the Evidence-Based Collaborative Care Model. The collaborative care model delivers mental health care in primary care through a team of health care professionals, including the primary care provider, a behavioral health care manager, and a consulting psychiatrist. This evidence-based access to mental health care has proven effective, less costly, and less stigmatizing. The bill would expand access to psychiatric care by requiring the state-contracted and commercial health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder benefits offered through the psychiatric collaborative care model.

Reviewing the Role of Behavioral Health Managers. Some insurance companies have subcontracted mental health benefits to specialty utilization management companies for years with mixed results. The bill directs the Health Policy Commission, in consultation with the Division of Insurance, to study and provide updated data on the use of contracted mental health benefit managers by insurance carriers, often referred to as "carve-outs." 

Incentivizing Investment in Acute Psychiatric Services. This bill would create an exemption from the Department of Public Health's determination of need process to incentivize health care facilities to invest in and develop more acute psychiatric services across the Commonwealth, including inpatient, community-based acute treatment, intensive community-based treatment, a continuing care unit and partial hospitalization programs.

Tracking and Analyzing Behavioral Health Expenditures. This bill includes a critical first steps toward incentivizing greater investments in mental health care within the analysis of statewide health care cost growth. Specifically, the bill directs the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to define and collect data on the delivery of mental health services to establish a baseline of current spending; and directs the Health Policy Commission (HPC) to begin tracking mental health care expenditures as part of its annual cost trends hearings.

Establishing an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion. Current behavioral health services are spread across state agencies. This dilutes the responsibility for mental health promotion and focus on the issues and undermines the important work being done. This bill would establish an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to coordinate all state initiatives that promote mental, emotional, and behavioral health and wellness for residents.

Increasing Access to Care in Geographically Isolated Areas. This bill would direct the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to consider factors that may present barriers to care—such as travel distance and access to transportation—when contracting for services in geographically isolated and rural communities.

Removing Barriers to Care by Supporting the Behavioral Health Workforce

Creating a Roadmap on Access to Culturally Competent Care. This initiative builds off an academic study mandated and funded through the Commonwealth's Fiscal Year 2021 budget to review the availability of and barriers to accessing culturally competent mental health care providers. Under this provision, an interagency health equity team under the Office of Health Equity, working with an advisory council, would make annual recommendations for the next three years to improve access to, and the quality of, culturally competent mental health services. Paired with the Senate's ARPA investment of $122 million in the behavioral health workforce through loan repayment assistance programs, this roadmap will make great strides toward building a robust workforce reflective of communities' needs.

Allows for an Interim Licensure for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. The bill would create an interim licensure level for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) so that they can be reimbursed by insurance for their services and be eligible for state and federal grant and loan forgiveness programs, further increasing the number of licensed providers able to serve patients.

Expanding Mental Health Billing. This bill would allow clinicians practicing under the supervision of a licensed professional and working towards independent licensure to practice in a clinic setting. This will help to ensure quality training and supervision and encourage clinicians to stay practicing in community-based settings.

Updating the Board of Registration of Social Workers. The bill would update the membership of the Board of Registration of Social Workers to clarify that designees from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Department of Public Health (DPH) be licensed social workers.

This legislation builds upon the original Mental Health ABC Act, passed by the Senate in 2020, important provisions of which have been signed into law, including:

• Standardizing credentialing forms, which shortens the amount of time it takes for newly hired mental and behavioral health professionals to be approved for inclusion in an insurance network, increasing access to care.

• Requiring coverage for same day care, removing a significant financial barrier to the integration of primary care and mental health.

• Creating a tele-behavioral health pilot program, which authorized three pilots for tele-behavioral health services in public high schools in the Commonwealth.

• Creating a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner fellowship pilot program, which offers additional support and training to psychiatric nurse practitioners who agree to work in community settings with underserved populations.

• Creating a mental health workforce pipeline to encourage and support individuals from diverse backgrounds to choose careers in mental health by emphasizing that it is valued and important work.

• Studying access to culturally competent care to review the availability of culturally competent mental health care providers, as well as to identify potential barriers to care for underserved cultural, ethnic and linguistic populations, the LGBTQ+ community, and others.

This legislation also comes at a time when the Massachusetts State Senate is making transformative investments in mental and behavioral health, including:

• $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to transform the behavioral health sector, with $122 million dedicated to recruiting and retaining nearly 2,000 behavioral professionals.

• $10 million annually for the newly-created Behavioral Health Outreach, Access and Support Trust Fund, which funded the highly successful More to the Story public awareness campaign.

• $10 million for the rapid creation of new inpatient mental health acute care beds, particularly new beds for children, adolescents and underserved communities.

• $15 million for Programs of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) for children who exhibit symptoms of serious emotional disturbance; PACT uses a multidisciplinary team approach to provide acute and long term supports for individuals in the community.

• $3 million for a loan repayment assistance program to recruit and retain child and adolescent psychiatrists at community mental health and health centers.

The Senate is scheduled to debate the Mental Health ABC 2.0 Act next week.

CommonWealth Magazine coverage of the legislation released for discussion

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/senate-unveils-major-mental-health-bill/

Boston Globe coverage of proposal  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/09/metro/mass-senators-unveil-wide-ranging-mental-health-measure/

Good candidate questions coming in

Thanks to you we have four good questions for our candidates thus far.


What question would you ask these candidates for the 10th Norfolk District to help make your decision on how to cast your vote?

• If elected what changes would you propose to help commuters from Franklin/Medway afford to get into Boston for work?  
• What are your thoughts about the MA higher education costs.  Is there anything you would propose to help more students afford MA State higher education?
• Local officials often complain to voters that costly state mandates tie their hands and prevent them from making common-sense fiscal policies for the town. What will you do as state rep to remove burdensome state mandates and un-tie local officials' hands?
• What will be your priorities if you are selected to serve in the state legislature?

If you have a question, you would like to ask one of the candidates for the 4th Norfolk District, please use the form here to submit it
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/07/what-would-you-ask-candidate.html

Or if you want, you can always send me an email at (shersteve at gmail dot com)

Live reporting - School Budget Workshop - (after break)

Part 1 can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/01/live-reporting-school-budget-workshop.html

Question - Rohrbach
Basically level service budget, some positions under ARRA have been included, some have not - hence the "not-quite-level-service" budget.  What does the 1.7M  represent?

Goodman - most of the 1.7 M is accounted for by the 1.1M ARRA funds expiring. The remainder are due to contractual obligations under which we are still negotiation.

Rohrbach - we have been in maintenance mode,

Sabolinksi - level service is a misnomer, 14 plus positions are eliminated, classroom  teachers
5 elem, 3 middle school, Director Alt Ed, etc. are positions that are not in this budget.

Glynn - We have the not-so-level service, we have seen what it would look like with the average State per pupil expenditure. Do we have a feel for what would be in the middle? What we would restore here and there previously cut?

Sabolinski - We could do a lot with 10M

Glynn - where is it that we would restore to, so that we could feel good about it?
Kingsland-Smith - how about getting to average?

Sabolinski - If we got 10M we could bring 60 teachers back, that would be huge for class size, programs, etc. We don't need to jump to $78 million to be great. We could jump halfway there and still be better than average.

Powderly - I am looking for something that people will hold on to. I'd love to have some illustrative points to tel the story.

Roy - The most pressure we are in is with the teachers contract. There was a sense that the teachers weren't hearing the School Committee. There was a sense that the School Committee wasn't hearing the teachers. We had a special session about 2.5 hours open session where we heard those stories about what is going on. People are protective, they don't want morale to fall. The only thing they care about is the kids in the classroom. It was certainly very impact full to hear the teachers tell the stories.

Powderly - I know your hearing and there are folks who would use that in a malicious manner.

Jones - that is the beauty of the anonymity of the comments in a newspaper article. How do we convince the community that we need an investment in the community?

Roy - I think if we can get the nine voices on the Council to buy into this, that will go along way. It is very difficult to build this beautiful piece but it is so easy to tear it down. One naysayer throwing out a comment can   undo that.

Cafasso - when we do the presentation to the community and to the Council, we need to include the DESE numbers on the state averages. There are 6200 kids in the district. 20% of this community is in school, don't tell me to cut the fat. We appreciate the Town taking over the facilities, it was a good move. 60% of this Town isn't paid for by the Town, it is paid for by people who buy lottery tickets.

Glynn - for the sake of argument, if we put together a budget around a number below the average but above where we are.

Jones - It is the democratic way that determines the decision. What it boils down to is that the naysayers are winning. We are not going to change the way the game is played just because you don't get what you want.
We are not in the best economic position to propose this. There is more to this than just the numbers, there is the overall value of the Town based upon the education, the outcome of the future due to our children's education.

Roy - that is a great segway to the next segment of this discussion on the impact of the budget.

Elementary

Mrs Minkle - We have been telling this story since 2002 when we started loosing teachers and programs. Our top priority is classroom teachers and class size. range from 18-27. Depends upon building population. We haven't yet had kindergarten registration, so that is open. We are using the last years number asa starting point

Rohrbach - 23 out of 125 classes would be above recommended class size?
Minke - Yes, that is correct.

Sabolinski - This is based upon the $52 M budget propsed. If we don't get all of that, the numbers would be different.

Cafasso - Are there other program impacts?

Minkle - we are feeling the effects across the board, every one of those cuts effects the students in the classroom. Just the amount of time on each student decreases. We are always asked to do more with less, RTI, ELL, the list is growing - these are unfunded mandates.

Kingsland-Smith - the 2008 data showed testing in three buildings, we have testing in every building. Some recent immigrants speak no English whatsoever. Classroom teachers, specialists, etc are now engaging in additional team work to set plans for at risk students.

Rohrbach - The cuts started in 2002? how would

Minkle - 22 vs. 28 on class size, amount of time a student can get from their teacher. These are our most vulnerable. From K to 12. These are our future. The experiences they are missing can not be replaced.

Roy - I remember last year during the budget, I got a text from my daughter who came to the meeting to speak personally to the changes she has seen.

Sabolinksi - instrumental music doesn't exist in Elementary anymore, yet expectations at Federal and State level have increased (unfunded mandates, etc.) We have relied on our teachers so we have been able to survive.

Kingsland-Smith - in the MCAS scores, Elementary was out of a problem zone, the last couple of years we are seeing these scores creeping in.

Lisa Trainor - we can see being efficient with less, over time the working conditions are not something you can maintain, there are increases in absence, increases in grievence.

Middle schools

Beth Wittcoff
17 classes will exceed recommendation on class size with the loss of 6 teacher positions
Math CET loss will risk gains made in AYP, the gains made in large part to the Match CETs
Provide acceleration for 7th graders as well as those falling behind

24 positions lost since 2004,
loss of a dedicated health class, infusing health anywhere they can see fit.
Latin instruction was loss but switched to Spanish
in ago of response to intervention (RTI) it is a challenge, it is not just an obligation, it is a calling

Michael Levine
Sometimes it works to our disadvantage that we are so efficient, the social emotional problems that occur during this age, if they are not addressed by the teachers and faculty

Paul Pieri
It is also the appearance we put forward, do we still do foreign language, to go from offering three languages to offering one, the extent of it has drastically changed from 2002 to now.

Glynn - you expressed it very well, it is a calling. Education is being eroded, "not in my classroom" was an immediate response from one teacher.

Sabolinski - the principals are trying to insulate the teachers as much as possible from the budget discussions. I have a monthly round table. Morale is really good, we appreciate not having conversations about budget all the time. Come April/May, there will be more anxiety, but the teachers have been allowed to focus on education. As for the principals, this is not a seasonal thing, we are working at this all year, trying to think how we can do more with less, do things better with what we have.

High School

Mr Light
Director, ALP is a loss, a number of the teachers at the high school
1100 principal, director of student services, 4 asst
1600 principal, 3 asst principals - effectively lost about 40% of the administration with a larger school

These are the neediest students in Franklin, because we have been successful in this program, our dropouts have decreased, from 26 to 5, amongst the best in the state. The work that coordinator does has been critical to that success. The work will have to shift, where we have not yet determined.

The high school has been impacted by reductions across the district. The language program because a more meeting students needs rather than a well thought out program.

There is a reduction in type and breadth of programs. The Math, ELA, and Science are where the focus is due to where the reporting is required. All the other services are less priority.

It costs Franklin much more to send a student to Tri-County as it does to educate here. Many of the students end up coming back because the educational needs are not being met there, but the money has already gone out of the district and doesn't come back that year.

Sabolinski - I think we have tried to layout in the budget what it will take to stop the hemorrhaging of resources. I see this as essential to maintaining our programs. We are really at a district out of places to cut. We can not cut administrative staff. This is a pivotal time for the school community. Education after this would become unrecognizable to what we used to be able to provide in 2002.

Roy - You have talked today about the $52M and 5% increase, it does not cover impacts about what would happen if we don't get that amount.

Rohrbach - Each asst principal covers 850 students each? What is a good number?
Light - I think around 500-600 would be better.
Rohrbach - so the loss of one has an impact

Rohrbach - one question we have received is could we have one principal over both middle and elementary schools?

Minke- one, I am not certified for Middle School, it is a separate factor. If we don't have the social/emotional factors covered for each age group, education will not occur.

Kingsland-Smith - The schools are divided for a reason, there is a whole lot of educational thought and science put into the building arrangement and educational process.

Wycoff - it would create a 900-1000 student school, Franklin was instrumental in getting to smaller buildings and it was reflected in the district performance. This would be a significant step back. In order to do this job right, it takes time. We are working with the students to help them learn and learn from their mistakes.

Trainor - I don't think you would save any money on a cost benefit analysis.

Roy - Scheduling of buildings is difficult, you are going through scheduling and that is also a negotiation point so we won't get into details. Can you speak to the schedule changes?

Light - We looked at our class sizes and wanted to avoid getting into 30+ students per class and adjusted the schedule dropping one period. We have no way financially to get that seventh period back. We can't afford to bring in sufficient teachers to do so. The kids would like to take an additional elective but we can't go there.

Rohrbach - can you do more on the transfer out of Franklin High topic?

Light - We lost 150 students to private and vocational schools,  $16K plus for Tri-County vs. $10K for FHS.

Sabolinski - If the students don't fit what the program is, are invited to leave Tri-County. We are looking at numbers and in particular, in the period shortly after October the students come back. October 1 is the cut off for State numbers that determine the funding.

Roy - Now the Tr-County budget also goes before the Town Council and in recent years they have gotten few if any questions. When Franklin comes before the Council for a dime, we get grilled. You can help turn that tide.

Glynn - at a high level would would it take to get that schedule?
Light - about 15-20 teachers at a minimum

Glynn - The report reflecting data from two years ago, when we had that schedule, showed we were highly efficient. Yet we can't get back to that without millions of dollars.

Trahan - we know what the research says, we know what the kids need, yet every year the budget gets cut. We thank you for all you do. For the one override that did pass, it will take a united council to bring it forward to the people. I was on the first Long Range Financial Planning, I am not on the second go around. If the Council can at least understand at least half of what we have found today, that will help. Thanks to Miriam  for the budget presentation. I am not a budget person and I can understand this.

Jones - I can not speak for the Council. Really and truly, all that we can ask is that we look for in every area we can find, a dollar reduction. We try and keep things on a lean level and try to keep education. It is a balancing act. It is a lot for us to ask of the Town. It will take an effort of everyone we know. Everyone should get a little information to pass along. We can't fix what has been done but we can fix what lies ahead. Not only get it to them but make them understand it.

Roy - I think we heard today that we can not cut any more. We have to take responsibility for our kids. We have to have the community to step up to the plate. We need to fund our responsibilities. I am not convinced that we are meeting our obligations.

Glynn - if this level of taxes is what we can afford, then the services need to adjust. If you can't understand the future, look at what is happening to Egypt. If you are worried about the debt level, worry about the educational preparation that these kids will have.





Franklin, MA

School Committee candidate Jen D'Angelo responds to questions

For the following you can read FM = Steve Sherlock and JD as Jen D'Angelo, candidate for School Committee. The answers were provided by Jen via email in response to the offer made to all the candidates for the Franklin Election Nov 2, 2021. 

Publication of the answers or interview responses does not constitute an endorsement of the candidate. This is my public service effort to enable informed voters for the election Nov 2, 2021.

FM = Briefly, what is your ‘Franklin story’? Tell us briefly about your life here.

JD = As a lifelong resident and a proud graduate of the Franklin Public Schools, it is my privilege to run for reelection. I have strong connections to the community and a vested interest in supporting the growth and development of our resources including our schools. I have had many opportunities to participate in town organizations including volunteering with a variety of groups beginning in high school. Some of those opportunities include delivering food baskets to those in need during the holidays, teaching religious education at St. Mary’s Church and fundraising to support a number of other local organizations. Most recently, I have had the privilege and honor of serving on the Franklin School Committee. Though this was my first time holding a public office, I found my knowledge of the community to be invaluable in our work.

FM = Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms of American life and voting is one of the primary responsibilities of citizens. While the law does not require citizens to vote, voting is a very important part of any democracy. What can you tell us about your own voting record? And if you have not been an active voter, please tell us why? And how important is it that we elect people who are active participants in the election process?

JD = Voting, considered by many as the most basic right of citizenship, is an opportunity for individuals to voice their opinions on leadership, public issues and legislation. I have been an active participant in the election process for many years voting in both local and national elections. The United States has a long history of voting milestones which eliminated barriers to voting and in essence promoted an equal voice for all citizens. Though I exercise my right to vote, I have not seen any evidence that would suggest a strong correlation between the voting history of elected officials and their ability to positively contribute to their communities.

FM = Have you been vaccinated for COVID-19? Do you think there should be a mask mandate in Franklin? Finally, what measures should the government take to protect the public from the virus, and how should these efforts be delineated between the local, State, and Federal governments?

JD = I feel medical information and the sharing of that information is a personal choice. Though I have been vaccinated, I do not feel it is appropriate to dictate what others should and should not do medically. People have unique health situations and I believe healthcare decisions should be made by individuals. With access to current data as well as expertise in the healthcare field, I believe the Department of Public Health should be making the decision on mask mandates in Franklin. Our government, both state and federal, have taken appropriate measures to provide information, recommendations and treatments to ensure the public's safety. We cannot expect elected officials to make perfect decisions all the time especially when information and situations are constantly changing. Collectively, we have to make decisions that best meet the needs of our personal situations.

FM = What are the 3 most important actions you believe are needed to move Franklin forward?

JD = It is difficult to identify three important actions when so many of our opportunities for growth and development are connected. Below are the three fundamental areas we should consider to ensure our actions as a committee and a community support our visions:

A. A collective effort to build respectful and collaborative relationships among our community members, elected officials, boards and committees. Over the past several months, the amount of hateful rhetoric has been overwhelming. In order for our town to identify and address our areas of growth and move forward to expand opportunities for all residents, we must be able to engage with one another in a respectful way.

B. A commitment to engage the community in our work as a school committee. Though engagement is different for each person, creating meaningful ways to contribute is essential. Some community members are eager to attend coffee chats while others are content to receive email newsletters and discuss topics that are important to them with their peers. I feel it is the duty of the School Committee to find ways to create opportunities for those who would like to engage in issues relative to not only the school community but also our town as a whole. Another piece of engagement is feeling your opinions are respected even when they differ from others. From community members I have had the opportunity to speak with, this was one area they felt could have been better and something the elected committee should continue to build upon in the coming years.

C. A deeper dive into the current culture of our district. While financial resources can make a difference in improving educational outcomes, there are other variables that are just as, if not more, important. For example, competitive teacher salaries improve the quality of candidates and increase retention, lower teacher to student ratios allow for more personalized learning and a structured system of supports for all students are known factors to minimize achievement gaps and create meaningful educational opportunities. Changes in district and school culture can happen independent of and be more impactful than spending. This should also include maintaining high expectations for staff, students and families and focusing on doing what works while eliminating what doesn’t. A strategic reallocation of resources is a more sensible and realistic approach and creating a long-term strategic plan will be an important step in establishing sustainable change in the district.

FM = What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? Or what do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?

JD = Education is a collaborative effort among teachers, administrators, families, community members and elected officials. As an elected committee member, my major focus has been and will continue to be those issues and concerns that are a priority to the parents, students, and teachers I represent on the committee. It is important to be open to the opinions and views of all in order to make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of our students. As our schools face some challenging decisions in the coming years, I am confident I can continue to be an impartial committee member who can make well-informed decisions based on the needs of our community. With over seventeen years of experience in public education, I am well versed in a variety of areas including school finance, curriculum and state and federal regulations. In addition to my work experience, I also hold a Master of Business Administration from Suffolk University and Master of Education from Bridgewater State University. I feel my unique skill set is invaluable as a member of the Franklin School Committee.

FM = With the Franklin Public School District managing the largest portion of Franklin's budget, what are your ideas to help solve the structural deficit in the operating budget?

JD = I wholeheartedly believe you cannot solve a problem until you have identified the root of the problem. Financial strain in Franklin is not new nor is the narrative that we (the school district) are underfunded. If you look up the term “structural deficit” the definition would read “a budget deficit that results from a fundamental imbalance in government receipts and expenditures”. In simpler terms, we spend more than we generate. So how do you solve this issue when you do not know the root of the problem? Is spending the problem or is it the lack of funds generated or is it a combination of the two? The first step in creating a solution is to examine our current situation through an operational and efficiency study done by an external review. The review would examine the adequacy of the educational and non-educational services delivered and the efficiency with which they are delivered. It will also help to identify short- and long- term costs that should be incurred and savings, if any, that could be gained through the implementation of best practices. Potential opportunities to collaborate with our municipal departments may also be considered similar to the transfer of the maintenance responsibility of school facilities to the town facilities department which took place in FY09.

School Committee candidate Jen D'Angelo responds to questions

Executive Summary (Part 2) for the FY 2025 Town of Franklin Budget

Continuing to share Town administrator Jamie Hellen's Executive Summary for the FY 2025 budget. The first part is here ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/04/executive-summary-part-1-for-fy-2025.html

Link to the full summary and budget doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy_25_budget_message_narrative_updated_links_2.pdf

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Expenditures Highlights

● The Franklin Public School District will see an increase in their budget of $3,000,000 over FY24, which is a 4.2% increase and tied for the largest single year increase the Schools have ever received. Further analysis is in the Future Trends section below.

● The budget includes a 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for all municipal personnel, including collective bargaining agreement commitments, which amounts to $625,000. School salaries are located in the school budget.

● Municipal employee pension costs will absorb almost $388,320 in new revenue for municipal departments and some non-teacher school employees.

● What is NOT in the budget compared to the Preliminary Budget Model presented on March 6th, 2024:

○ $378,000 in additional DPW expenses;

○ $85,000 (plus benefits) in the Facilities Budget for a Sustainability Coordinator;

○ $200,000 in additional Public Property and Buildings expenses (School related);

○ $2,000 in additional Town Council expenses;

○ $5,000 in additional Cultural Council grant money;

○ $5,000 in additional Historical Museum expenses; and

○ $6.3 million for Franklin Public Schools Level Service plus Restoration of cuts.

● What is NOT in the budget with regard to long-term planning:

○ Additional resources toward Debt & Interest. In 2026, we anticipate borrowing for a Remington-Jefferson remodel and the Horace Mann Roof replacement;

○ Additional public infrastructure costs for roads, sidewalks, parking lots, trails, crosswalks, tree trimming to prevent power outages, bike lanes, traffic calming to slow people down; pedestrian crosswalks and other public works improvements;

○ $2 million in annual capital needs transferred to the operating budget - costs for Police and Fire safety gear, school curriculum, school and town technology, school and town fleet, and DPW apparatus.

○ Funds to address an increasing demand and reliance on Technology, mostly in our Schools.

○ Additional staffing investments for green and sustainability goals, open space planning, conservation efforts, and net zero initiatives.

○ Funding for Municipal Capital Projects: Police Station, Beaver Street Recycling Facility and other community requests, such as an Arts Center.

○ An additional $4.3 million for level service for Schools or $6.3 million to restore some previous cuts in 2023-24 to the Schools;

○ Additional Strategic investments toward Franklin Public Schools, such as foreign language, capital, facilities, clubs, academies, and arts related curriculum; and

○ Assumptions related to collective bargaining negotiations for the Town's unions, as these contracts expire at the end of FY25. CBA’s will be for FY26, FY27 and FY28.

 

Future Trends

The constant pressure on local government to fund all of the work that needs to get done is becoming unsustainable. The Massachusetts Municipal Association continues to advocate for greater investment in infrastructure from the state and to relieve the many unfunded mandates the state is placing on local governments. Municipal and School departments work hard managing their budgets, investing in value added services and adapting to citizen feedback and a changing world. Moving into FY25 and the following fiscal years, we see a handful of issues that need to be monitored, most notably cost increases to residents in the form of stormwater utility rates, sewer rates and other major capital investments in town.

1. Affordability for all residents. Residents have seen costs increase across all aspects of their lives. As outlined at the March 6, 2024 Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting, as leaders in the community we have to be conscious of the effects the costs of doing business have on our residents. In addition to the likelihood of an override ballot question for a new Franklin Police Station, residents will also see an increase in the following areas:

○ Sewer Rates. Effective July 1, 2024, there will be a 15% increase in sewer rates. We are required to raise rates to create surety behind the loan for the Beaver Street Interceptor. The interceptor was first built and paid for 109 years ago and lasted for generations. The time has come for the residents of Franklin today to pay for a new interceptor and pay the debt for current and future generations of Franklinites.

○ Stormwater. FY24 represents year one of the Stormwater Utility to address the federal unfunded EPA mandates. As each year progresses, the permit becomes shockingly more expensive. A rate increase will be required to stay up-to-date with the permit. We estimate a minor increase of about $1.50 per billing unit, which is on average $10-$20 a year for most households. This rate increase will ensure solvency of the stormwater utility budget. However, in the next few years, a much more detailed public discussion must take place on the expense associated with the Town’s Phosphorus Control Plan, which is estimated to cost $30 million over five years. Addressing this issue is not optional, as these are unfunded federal mandates. The town has already sued the federal government over this issue.

○ Water Rates. Residents can also expect to see an 8% water rate increase in each of the next three years. Two major federal and state regulatory required projects are expected to come online in the form of a $25 million water filtration project (water tank membrane to protect from manganese and iron) and the first of the Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) required projects - a $6.5 million PFAS Filtration Plant (with a zero % interest loan from the state). Rate payers will see an approximate $50 increase per year over the next three years.

○ The Tri-County School Project. In November 2023, 61% of residents that participated in the election voted in affirmative to raise property taxes through a debt exclusion to pay for Franklin’s anticipated $2.1 million per year assessment. Congratulations to the Tri-County School community for their campaign to build a new facility and successfully navigate the MSBA process. Approximately ⅓ of the project is paid for by the state. The tax impact for this project will begin in FY25 and is reflected in the debt exclusion budget model and expenditure line item with an increase of $132,298. The tax rate will be adjusted later this year to reflect the increase in levy for Franklin's portion. This project is budget neutral. At full maturity in FY27, an average ($650,377) Franklin household will have taxes raised by $169/year to pay for this. That rate will decline over the life of the project.

While I am sure these messages of rate increases are hard to handle, residents must also realize every city and town in Massachusetts is going through similar situations managing severe cost drivers related to public infrastructure. We are fortunate to have ample and clean resources, we do pay for it in Massachusetts.

2. The Franklin Public Schools have informed us that in order to maintain “level” or “status quo” services from the current year to FY25, a budget increase of $7.3 million, or 10.13% is required. A level services budget plus restoration of FY24 cuts yields an increase of $9.3 million, or 12.92% Please review the Budget Update from the School Committee meeting on February 13, 2024 for additional information. Below are some additional informational points that relate to the fiscal challenges of the public schools:

● The state’s Chapter 70 Formula is not in the Towns’ favor and will continue to be a pressure point, especially if the Legislature is forced to alter the formula due to the Town’s increasing “Hold Harmless” situation.

● Significant fixed costs and capital costs to technology, facilities, and fleet will compete with operating costs to education and classrooms. These costs are not a part of the preliminary budget model, but still need funding sources.

● Collective bargaining looms in FY26 with Franklin Education Association (FEA) and other unions. Labor and personnel costs have risen significantly for the schools, but this is also a trend affecting all municipalities statewide.

● Unsustainable special education cost increases, which put pressure on all aspects of the school budget.

● Central office staffing capacity in Administration, Finance and Human Resources and technology investments.

● School Revolving Funds solvency at the end of FY24 heading into FY25 and having some respectable reserves.

● Town and School federal ARPA and ESSR money expires at the end of this calendar year.

● Continued declining enrollment. In 2008, the school district enrollment was 6,464. The most recent enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year is 4,721 (as of Feb 2024). The school district is losing 100-150 students a year in district enrollment and this trend is expected throughout most of the rest of the decade. In 2022, the School Committee hosted a redistricting exercise and looked at future enrollment projections and facilities needs, but that resulted in no action. They have reenaged McKibben Consulting to relook at the district demographics; however even the assumptions used in that study does not not offer a clear picture. Town staff have worked closely with the Schools to ensure the correct development and growth assumptions are made in any final study that may shape redistricting and the better use of town and school facility space. The objective is to streamline operations and maximize space to alleviate increasing fixed costs.

● It is also important to note that portions of the municipal budget are made up of school related costs in the amount of approximately $20 million when fully funded (Note: It is important to note that figure is based on conservative assumptions. This figure could be much higher). Both the Facilities Department and the DPW have seen consistent increases to their budgets specific to school related costs. While these costs continue to increase, it is important to note that their budgets have not been fully restored to pre pandemic levels for school or municipal costs. The “Municipal” budget pays for all school building debt & interest, property and casualty insurance, worker’s compensation, snow removal, non-teacher pension costs, grounds & building maintenance, utilities, OPEB costs, fuel for the school van fleet, unemployment insurance, retired teacher health and life insurance, some staff, and much more.

3. Budget capacity to fund future projects. The Debt and Interest budget remains one of our most pressing budgetary concerns. At 1.59% of recurring general fund revenues, this slice of the budget is far below town goals and has been trending in the wrong direction for years, due to previous borrowing costs coming off the schedule and high interest rates to quell inflation. It should increase through the rest of the decade to maintain our Public Schools and Town facilities. Other scheduled capital facilities or infrastructure projects that would be paid for in these budget line items over the next five years are the Remington-Jefferson rehabilitation, the High School ten-year update, Washington Street to Grove Street sidewalk, Beaver Street Recycling Center and Solid Waste Master Plan, and the Police Station. If the town borrows to do any of these projects in the future, debt and interest will rise and leave fewer dollars available for other areas of the budget.

4. Sustainability. Also looming around the corner for FY26 is a new round of collective bargaining negotiations for the Town's unions - teachers, police patrol, police sergeants, fire, public works, police sergeants, custodians, maintenance/trades, and librarians - as these contracts expire at the end of FY25. If we are to avoid sizable layoffs and/or cuts to all town services this fiscal year, and certainly in FY26 and beyond, the community must recognize that we are all in this together. It is imperative that residents take the time to learn and understand the budgeting pressures on both the schools and the municipality at large, and how these cost pressures counterbalance affordability to all citizens, businesses, and stakeholders in the Town of Franklin. We hope to avoid an “Us v. Them” debate. As we have suggested for many years, the Joint Budget Subcommittee may want to endorse a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Equity Goal to avoid deepening budget deficits in future fiscal years. Otherwise, an escalation of budget increases in personnel and labor will most certainly result in unsustainable costs to the town, including the schools. This issue does not even include a calculation that additional staff investments may be needed for school and municipal services based on what the community desires. The town will be in a painful position of extensive layoffs or service reductions if we do not (1) start to manage expectations on the capacity of the town’s service limits and (2) start to coordinate and better strategically plan town and school operating budget finances.

For the full FY 2025 budget and narrative sections ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy_25_budget_message_narrative_updated_links_2.pdf

All the FY 2025 budget materials can be found -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/webforms/fy-25-budget-materials

Executive Summary (Part 2) for the FY 2025 Town of Franklin Budget

State Education Mandates - Part 4

From time to time, particular around the budget period, reference is generally made to Franklin Public Schools having to support "unfunded mandates." I managed to find a listing of such compiled by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. This is Part 4 in the series:

McKinney-Vento and Costs Associated with Homeless and Transient Students

This component of No Child Left Behind requires that schools accept any homeless student who wishes to attend the public school. In addition, McKinney-Vento requires the school district to transport any homeless students living in town to the schools in their old home district.


Services to English Language Learners

Provides required ELL services to all students who are not fluent in English. Specially certified teachers must provide this service. There are educational materials and testing costs associated with the ELL services that are provided.
• All classroom teachers who service ELL students in their classrooms must have ten hours of training each year until they fulfill a requirement of 50 hours of training.
• All communications that need to be sent to the homes of all students (not just ELL) whose parents do not speak English as their first language must be translated into their native languages.

• ELL training is required even when only one (1) student in the district is an ELL student.

• Districts are required to provide Sheltered English Immersion services for students whose first language is not English. Districts are responsible for developing procedural manuals, forms, parent outreach, interpreters, and translation of documents. Districts are also required to provide Sheltered English Immersion training in Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4 for all staff who work with English Language Learners. All levels and types of services as provided for English-speaking students must be provided for ELL students in their primary language. Every student whose first language is not English is required to be assessed, to determine language proficiency upon registration and admission to the public school; stages of language acquisition need to be determined in order to identify the level of services required for each student. Students must also be supported by staff members in order for them to participate in Massachusetts English Language Acquisition – Oral (MELA-O) and Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA) in reading and writing as well as the MCAS assessments.

The full listing is available here (DOC)

Conversation with Franklin's State Representative Jeff Roy - 11/23/21 (audio)

FM #669 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 669 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with our State Representative Jeffrey Roy. We had our conversation virtually via the Zoom conference bridge on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

We talked about: 

• Thanksgiving, time for thanks

• Wind power and renewable energy efforts

• Genocide bill, legislative terms (engrossment, enactment)

• Recycling event pilot now going state-wide

• Critical conversations on mental health substance abuse

• Civil and civic conversations for government discussions

Links to the key references are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 59 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jeff Roy.

*** Audio file => https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e615231a-39f6-4f26-82c0-d37cd261a70c

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Wind power ground breaking event https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1461667359865942017

 

Commonwealth Magazine article: https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/a-first-step-on-offshore-wind-2/

 

Genocide legislation text  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2557

 

Genocide bill articles: Public officials, faith leaders denounce antisemitism at Holocaust memorial menorah lighting, Boston Globe (11/30/21); A bill heading to Governor Charlie Baker’s desk would require Mass. school districts to teach about genocides, Boston Globe (11/27/21); Massachusetts mandates genocide education, Armenian Weekly (11/16/21); Beacon Hill eyeing tradeoffs on offshore wind, Commonwealth Magazine (10/18/21)

 

Green Team webpage https://www.gogreenteamjunk.com/  event listing (not showing future events at this time)  https://www.gogreenteamjunk.com/events

 

Mass Save web page (sign up for energy audits, etc.)  https://www.masssave.com/

 

SAFE Coalition presentation as mentioned in the discussion (Town Council meeting of 9/15/21) ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/franklin-ma-town-council-meeting.html

SAFE Coalition web page -> https://www.safecoalitionma.org/home

Get Help Now! For Help Call the SAFE Support Hotline: 508-488-8105

You can listen to Danielle Allen on an episode of "More Perfect Union" https://player.captivate.fm/episode/5230abc8-a5e5-4ec6-89b3-2f1e1beeaa11

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

State Representative Jeff Roy