Patrick presents plans for education

How changes will be funded is unknown

Governor Deval Patrick (left) and Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray at the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club. (DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF)

Governor Deval Patrick unveiled the first wave of his sweeping education changes yesterday, including universal prekindergarten, full-day kindergarten for all students, and a drop-out prevention program. But how he will pay for those and other initiatives proposed in his Readiness Project will remain a mystery until November.

In a press conference that had promised to deal with the fundamental question of how to pay for the 50-plus initiatives outlined in his plan, the governor instead announced the formation of a special commission to identify short-term cost savings and potential new revenue sources for education.

"Everything is on the table," Patrick said, responding to a question about whether his proposals could mean new taxes. "Our future is at stake."

Headed by John Fish, Suffolk Construction Company chief executive, and Gloria Larson, Bentley College president, the 16-member committee is also charged with proposing ways to fix the school funding formula, which critics say is inequitable and inadequate. They will make their final report Nov. 15, Patrick said.

State aid for school districts ranges wildly; while some communities like Springfield are almost entirely state-funded, others, like Waltham, receive a sliver of state funding and rely on local property taxes to pay for the rest. In a tough budget year, with rising energy, healthcare, and special education costs, more communities are asking for property tax overrides.

On average, school districts spent 18 percent more than the foundation budgets set by a state formula, Patrick said in a press conference at the Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester yesterday.

"Teachers in too many schools are using their own money for basic materials, and parents are paying added fees for school band, for academic clubs, and sports experiences that round out a child's education," Patrick said. "We can't let that reality go unaddressed."

Launched 18 months ago, the governor's Readiness Project has had input from more than 200 educators, administrators, lawmakers, and public policy specialists working on 13 subcommittees. Said to include dozens of initiatives aimed at closing achievement gaps between students and preparing them for a global economy, the full report will be released tomorrow. Patrick is also scheduled to make a major announcement tomorrow in Hopkinton about teacher quality.

However, some criticized the slow pace of change yesterday, saying that after 18 months of work, the governor should have a more concrete strategy for making his vision for education a reality.

Tom Scott - executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, a statewide advocacy group - pointed out that several organizations and even the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education have done reports on funding public education recently.

"There's a lot of good data out there; let's make this a more expedited process," he said. "We're at points of despair in some communities about meeting current needs."

Across the state, school districts have struggled to make ends meet this year. The Greenfield School District in Western Massachusetts has been struggling to close a $2 million budget gap, while Tewksbury schools are still without a budget.

"I think a lot of people out there were hoping that among the ideas in the governor's plan that there'd be some great statement about financial needs in the short and long term," Scott said.

The commission will look at how to fund specific initiatives, such as how to make community colleges free for all students and the possible savings if the state were to implement a statewide teachers contract. However, their most politically challenging task will be looking at revamping the way that public schools are funded, said Michael Widmer, who is serving on the governor's commission and is the executive director of the watchdog Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation.

For years, policy makers have debated the best way to distribute state aid. While poorer communities get significant state aid and residents in wealthier ones pass tax overrides, those in the middle towns often don't get either and struggle to make ends meet.

"It's a thorny financial analysis, and perhaps an even thornier political issue," Widmer said.

Patrick defended the pace of his proposed changes at the press conference, saying that budget concerns should not be an issue when discussing what it will take to prepare every child for success.

"We're building a house," he said. "You design it first and then cost it out. We will pay for it."

Tania deLuzuriaga can be reached at deluzuriaga@globe.com.