This is not the official budget document.

General Appropriations Act FY2008

Department of Education
Data Current as of:  10/29/2007



Account Description FY07
GAA
FY08
GAA
7061-9404 MCAS Low-Scoring Student Support
For grants to cities, towns and regional school districts to provide targeted remediation programs in English and math to students in the classes of 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and beyond, scoring in level one or two on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam established by the board of education pursuant to the provisions of sections 1D and 1I of said chapter 69 of the General Laws; provided, that the department and districts shall ensure that services are available to students with disabilities; provided further, that in awarding remediation funds, preference may be given to schools and districts at risk of or determined to be under-performing in accordance with said sections 1J and 1K of said chapter 69; provided further, that the purpose of this program shall be to improve students' performance on the MCAS exam through replication of services and educational strategies with proven results as determined by the department of education provided further, that such programs shall supplement currently funded local, state, and federal programs at the school or district; provided further, that funds shall be expended for a competitive grant program to fund academic support and college transition services to be implemented in fiscal year 2008, and operated by public institutions of higher learning or by public-private partnerships in the commonwealth, for students in the graduating classes of 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 who have completed high school but have not yet obtained a competency determination as defined in section 1D of chapter 69 as measured by the MCAS assessment instrument authorized by said section 1I of said chapter 69, but who are working to pass the English and math MCAS tests, obtain a competency determination, and earn a high school diploma; provided further, that for the purpose of the programs, appropriated funds may be expended through August 31, 2008 to allow for summer remediation programs; provided further, that funds shall be expended for a competitive grant program to fund Pathways programs targeting eleventh and twelfth graders, instituted by local school districts, public institutions of higher education and qualified public and private educational services organizations and One Stop Career Centers including, but not limited to, school-to-work connecting activities, creating worksite learning experiences for students as an extension of the classroom, outreach programs for students who will need post-twelfth grade remediation to attain the skills necessary to pass MCAS, and counseling programs to educate parents and high school students on post-twelfth grade remediation options; provided further, that funds shall be expended for a competitive grant program, guidelines for which shall be developed by the department of education, for intensive remediation programs, in communities with students in the graduating classes of 2003 to 2012, inclusive, who have not obtained a competency determination or have scored in levels one or two on either the English or math MCAS exams; provided further, that the department of education may give preference for such assistance to those districts with a high percentage of high school students scoring in level one on the MCAS exam in English and math; provided further, that eligible applicants shall include individual high schools, and those institutions which shall have partnered with a high school or group of high schools; provided further, that no district shall receive a grant from this appropriation until said district submits to the department of education a comprehensive district plan pursuant to the provisions of section 1I of chapter 69, to improve performance of all student populations including, but not limited to, students with disabilities; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be transferred to JFY networks, a non-profit corporation formerly Jobs for Youth, for a matching grant for the purposes of enhancing student performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System examination through instructional computer software; provided further, that $300,000 shall be transferred to the Efficacy Institute for work in 'Campaigns for Proficiency' in Springfield, Boston and Lawrence, to be used for training public school teachers and youth workers in after-school programs in methods for using assessment data to develop effective strategies to improve student performance on the MCAS; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for Link Services at the Pettengill House to provide advocacy counseling, referrals, emergency assistance and prevention education programs to the children and families of both Triton Regional and Amesbury Public Schools; provided further, that not less than $125,000 shall be expended for Casa Dominicana in Lawrence; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Lawrence Learning Center and Community Development in the City of Lawrence; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for Centro Latino de Chelsea to provide adult basic education services in the city of Chelsea; provided $75,000 shall be expended for The WhizKids Foundation Inc.; provided further, that not less than $370,000 shall be allocated to the Framingham public schools to evaluate existing dual-immersion programs in the town of Framingham and elsewhere in the commonwealth including an evaluation of best practices and all professional development related to these programs; provided further, that any evaluation will examine the likelihood and efficiency of replication of these programs and practices in school districts with a large percentage of English language learners; provided further, that these funds may be expended for professional development related to these programs; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for a pilot program operated by a non-profit organization, staffed by certified teachers and college aged tutors, to provide after school and summer educational services to students in low-income urban communities that require additional assistance to become academically proficient; provided further that said pilot shall provide student instruction for two and half hours in core curricula such as math and literacy using a multi-cultural approach and shall provide opportunities to work with tutors on homework, community service, team self- esteem and relationship building; provided further, that not less than $180,000 shall be expended for the Invest-in-Kids program to provide after school programs in the city of New Bedford; provided further that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the Clean Slate program in the city of Springfield; and provided further, that $50,000 shall be expended for the Astro Park Astronomy Facility at Barnstable High School; provided further, that notwithstanding any eligibility requirements herein, $150,000 shall be expended for a pilot program operated by the Randolph public schools to provide educational services to students that require additional assistance to become academically proficient; and provided further, that the pilot program may use a multi-cultural approach and provide opportunities for community service and relationship building; provided further, that $15,000 shall be expended for the Lynn At-Risk Youth; provided further, that the department shall issue a report, no later than February 1, 2008 and annually thereafter as a condition of continued funding under this account, in collaboration with the board of higher education, describing MCAS support programs for the graduating classes of 2003 to 2012, inclusive, funded by items 7061-9404 and 7027- 0019, school to work accounts, institutions of public higher education, and other sources, including federal sources; provided further, that such report shall include, but not be limited to, the number of students eligible to participate in such programs, the number of students participating in such programs, the number of students who have passed the MCAS assessment and obtained a competency determination through these programs, but not met local graduation requirements, and the number of students who have passed the MCAS assessment and obtained a competency determination through these programs and met local graduation requirements; provided further, that said report shall be provided to the chairs of the house and senate ways and means committees and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education; provided further, that any grant funds distributed from this item to a city, town or regional school district shall be deposited with the treasurer of such city, town, or regional school district and held in a separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of such city, town, or regional school district without further appropriation, notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary; and provided further that no costs shall be expended for personnel costs
10,332,793 13,215,863

 
 
HISTORICAL SPENDING CATEGORIES ($000)
SPENDING CATEGORY FY04
Spending
FY05
Spending
FY06
Spending
FY07
Spending
FY08
GAA
Wages & Salaries 718 1,530 1,696 630 446
Pensions & Benefits 4 21 17 10 7
Operating Expenses 121 200 125 206 206
Aid to Cities & Towns 25,221 11,382 9,707 8,397 12,557
TOTAL 26,065 13,133 11,545 9,242 13,216

* FY07 Projected Spending includes the budget plus nearly $1 billion in spending from FY06 supplemental budgets.

 

Pie Chart: Wages & Salaries=3%, Pensions & Benefits=0%, Operating Expenses=2%, Aid to Cities & Towns=95%



 
Earmarks
EARMARK DESCRIPTION
FY08
Astro Park Astronomy Facility at Barnstable High, an astronomy facility for multi-disciplinary programming 50,000
Casa Dominica in Lawrence for MCAS remediation 125,000
Centro Latino de Chelsea - 50,000
Clean slate program- provide classroom and community service supervision for youthful offenders. 100,000
For the Efficacy Institute for work in "Campaigns for Proficiency" in Springfield, Boston and Lawrence for training public school teachers and youth workers in after-school programs in methods for using assessment data to develop effective strategies 300,000
Framingham public schools dual-immersion program evaluation of best practices 370,000
Invest-in-Kids after school program 180,000
JFYNetWorks for a matching grant 1,000,000
Lawrence Learning Center and Community Development in the City of Lawrence 100,000
Lynn after school program for at-risk youth 15,000
Pilot program for non-profits for summer programs to non-profit students 100,000
Pilot program to become academically proficient 150,000
School link services at Pettengill House to provide advocacy counseling, referrals, emergency assistance and prevention education programs to the children and families of Triton Regional and Amesbury public schools 75,000
Whiz Kids Foundation 75,000