The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Governor's FY19 House 2 Budget Proposal
Yesterday, Governor Baker filed House 2, containing the Administration's FY19 state spending recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year. The Governor recommends total state spending of $40.9 billion, representing a $1.1 billion (2.6%), increase over FY18 spending. The Governor has prioritized spending increases for key areas, including local aid, education, transportation, housing, substance misuse, workforce skills and job training, and homelessness.
The Department's recommended appropriations total $5.46 billion, which represents an increase of $125.5 million (2.4%), over FY18 spending. The Governor's request affirms a commitment to fund education aid for our districts, while focusing on core service delivery at ESE, and providing new opportunities for Career Technical Education and STEM programs.
The following summarizes the Governor's education recommendations by program area.
I. Education Local Aid & Reimbursements
Chapter 70 aid (7061-0008), is increased by $103.6M (2%) over FY18 to $4.85B. The increase maintains foundation level spending in all districts, recognizes higher numbers of economically disadvantaged students, provides a minimum aid increase of $20 per pupil increase to all districts, and provides $24.3 M to address the rising cost of healthcare for and retirees, which was a major recommendation of the Foundation Budget Review Commission.
Additionally, H2 contains a $15M appropriation to address the additional cost impact for districts with significant enrollment from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Special Education Circuit Breaker reimbursement (7061-0012) is increased by $9.9M over FY18 level to $291.1 M.
The House 2 budget has level funded all other district reimbursement accounts at FY18 spending levels including Charter School Reimbursements (7061-9010), Regional School Transportation (7035-0006), Non-Resident Vocational Student Transportation (7035-0007), Homeless Transportation (7035-0008).
The METCO Program (7010-0012) is also level funded at $20.6M.
II. Consolidation of Literacy Accounts and English Language Acquisition
The Governor's House 2 budget consolidates the following three line items into the newly renamed English Acquisition and Literacy Programs (7010-0033) account with a combined funding level of $3.28 million. This consolidated line item includes $500,000 to comply with DOJ requirements to train ELL teachers in vocational technical schools and $200,000 to implement the Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) Act.
- 7010-0020 Bay State Reading Institute
- 7010-0033 Literacy Programs
- 7027-1004 English Language Acquisition
III. Expansion of Career Technical Education
As part of the Governor's initiative to support High Quality Career Pathways, School to Career Connecting Activities (7027-0019) is being increased by $364,000 over FY18 which includes $1M for the expansion of paid internships to 10,000 high school students, prioritizing participation in STEM fields.
IV. Program Changes
House 2 eliminates spending for three accounts previously funded in FY18: 7061-9011 Innovation Schools, 7061-9401 Assessment Consortium and 7061-9406 College and Career Readiness accounts.
Governor's House 2 budget reduces Adult Basic Education (7035-0002) by $1.46 million which includes cuts to both earmarks and additional program funding included in our FY18 spending.
FY19 House 2 budget for the 7061-9400 Student Assessment account is funded at $32.1 million which includes $1M of new funding to support the implementation of the new history and social science standards and the development of assessments in history and social science.
Targeted Assistance and Innovation Support Consolidation Account (7061-9408) is funded at $6.97 million (with removal of earmarks) which includes new funding of $200,000 for empowerment zone grants and expansion for a new school leadership initiative.
In the FY19 House 2 proposal, DESE is transferred responsibility for the administration of the Recovery High School Program (7061-9607) from the Department of Public Health as a component of the Governor's prioritization of safe and supportive schools interagency collaboration. The Governor has also added $100,000 to the 7010-0005 main admin account to administer this program.
Governor's House 2 budget reduces the After-School Grant Program (7061-9611) by $1.55 million, which includes cuts to both earmarks and additional program funding included in our FY18 spending.
Funding for DESE's other accounts are level funded in the Governor's House 2 proposal with the removal of legislative earmarks.
The attached chart summarizes the Governor's FY19 budget recommendations 
in comparison to our current and prior year's appropriation history and identifies variances.
The Governor's House 2 budget recommendations begin the FY19 budget development process that will culminate in late June when the Legislature approves the FY19 budget and forwards it to the Governor for his final review and approval.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. A discussion of the Governor's budget proposal will be on the agenda at the February 27th Board meeting.
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