DEGREES PAY DIVIDENS
Business-supported Student Opportunity Act Presents the Right Moment for Change
Business-supported legislation to increase school funding, passed last November, requires community input on how these funds will be used to close gaps among students groups and to prepare students for future opportunities.
Employers across this region were active and proud supporters of the Student Opportunity Act, which will significantly increase funding for public education over the next seven years. Those districts serving large numbers of low-income and English Language Learner students will receive larger increases than those that don’t, but all districts will receive a bump in their state assistance for education. Appropriate funding is necessary to ensure a high quality public education system, the essential foundation of thriving communities and strong local economies.
Importantly, the legislation also requires communities to develop three-year plans for how they will use funding to close racial and socio-economic achievement gaps that exist in virtually every school district. A focus on closing gaps is important, both for the students who are denied opportunities because of them and for employers who rely on a strong, diverse workforce to sustain and grow their companies. The legislation requires the deliberate use of proven strategies to close these gaps.
The new legislation also puts a greater focus on preparing students for college and workforce success, a key aspect of the law that the business community strongly supported. Focusing on preparing students for post-graduate success is important given the declining opportunities for students with only a high school diploma, and will pay dividends for students as well as local businesses hungry for a skilled, highly educated workforce.
The planning process required by the new law is unprecedented in its requirement that school districts engage the community in identifying bold, strategic investments in programs that will close achievement gaps and address workforce readiness gaps. Districts are being asked to use this planning process to focus on getting it right on a couple of initiatives that can have transformative impact for students.
The United Regional Chamber is eager to be a partner to parents and other community members in this work, both in sharing our unique understanding of what it takes to be successful in today’s economy and to offer ideas about, and assistance in, expanding high impact career readiness programs. This work starts with engaging school districts to ensure that business gets a seat at the table and to work with them to answer important strategic questions:
What are a couple of ambitious goals for closing gaps and increasing student readiness for future opportunities that our community can rally around?
What initiatives will allow us to meet those goals and why do we think that they will have a major impact?
How will the school district keep community members, and parents in particular, informed on progress towards the goal and involved in course corrections, if necessary?
We urge all school systems, those that will be receiving significant new funding as well as those that will see lesser increases, to work with as wide a set of community partners as possible; to be strategic in their approach and bold in their ambition for improving student opportunity. We can improve outcomes if the community has the collective will to make that happen.
Jack Lank, President/CEO Executive Director United Regional Chamber of Commerce
Ed Lambert Jr. IOM Alliance for Education Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education