An outdated school funding formula in Massachusetts is putting a severe strain on district budgets and deepening inequities in the educational system, a panel of school and other municipal leaders warned at a regional forum Tuesday at Malden High School.
Speaking to a crowd of more than 350 people that included parents, teachers, and local officials, the panelists said it is urgent Governor Charlie Baker and lawmakers take action this year to update the 25-year-old formula and significantly boost school aid, particularly for lower income districts.
“This is not a sustainable model of funding school systems in our state,” said Chelsea School Superintendent Mary Bourque. “The red flags have been in front of us for a number of years. . . . It is time to address it.”