In 2015, a state commission found that the “foundation budget” formula that is used to dictate the amount of State aid to our schools, underestimates the cost of education by $1 to $2 billion dollars per year.  That drastic gap between the true costs of educating our children and the amount provided by State and Local revenue is devastating to our local schools.  As a result, communities often have to cut programs that our children benefit from or pass on fees to parents.  I will work to pass legislation that adjusts this formula to make it accurately reflect the cost of educating a student in our schools.

As your Senator, I will advocate for ending the State’s reliance on punitive high-stakes testing.  These tests take too much time away from valuable learning, handcuff our teachers and fail to provide an accurate picture of student and classroom success.

I am a strong advocate for mandating civics in our schools.  Additionally, we must ensure that we don’t focus entirely on STEM subjects.  A well rounded education must include physical education, arts and music, civics and even financial literacy.

We must work hard to provide Pre-K through college opportunities free of charge to Massachusetts students.  As your Senator, I will work to pass legislation that provides for debt-free college in Massachusetts.