“The allocation of this funding through the recently introduced Student Opportunity Act represents a major win for the grassroots coalition of parents, students, community members and unionized teachers who have fought long and hard for these critical reforms. We applaud the legislature for hearing and responding to the overwhelming number of voices across the state calling for updates to the statewide funding formula. We view this investment, estimated at $1.5 billion, as a significant commitment toward building the schools our communities deserve. We will be looking closely at the details of the bill, and will be advocating to retain the strongest parts of the bill throughout the legislative process, and we will continue to advocate for the implementation of a durable, long-term fix to the charter mitigation problem that many districts face, including Boston. That all being stated, upon initial review, we are optimistic about what this Act will do for communities across the Commonwealth, particularly for lower-income communities where the needs are being felt most acutely. The parent, student, and teacher advocates deserve tremendous credit for all they have done to speak out and this bill signals that legislators have been listening. We will continue to speak out and ensure that it is passed and enacted with fidelity.” – Jessica Tang, President, BTU