State gives initial approval to $660m in school construction

Where's Boston on this list?

Congratulations to the municipalities that got this funding. But: Wayland, Needham, Sharon, Brookline...all wealthy towns with great school systems. I would be a whole lot more enthusiastic if the list was more like: Holyoke (where teachers have been known to hold classes in the hall due to lack of space), Springfield, Pittsfield, Roxubry, New Bedford, Mattapan, Lawrence. Their schools are in much greater need of support.

Oh how nice......Boston gets another half billion of the pie again. Must be Ms. Craven hails from that area. Unreal!! I don't see anything in western Mass, or much outside of Boston for that matter. But yes, there is one in Plymouth.....no doubt to appease the President of the senate.

Good going MSBA. The staff must be holdovers from the big pig.

Worcester?? Maybe they should visit to see who needs the funding most??

Well this prob. good if your in the construction trades! Same with most of the stimulus money out there. Plus you have better cost neg. too. Unfortunatley the way our countyr is headed not sure why the need for smart kids. I believe in good education and no child left behind. But the way things are going there will not be any jobs behind for them either!

Congratulations to the School Bldg Authority.Unemployed construction workers will be able to go to work and put money back into the economy.

If this is not a political move I don't know what it is.. Coming from a town by the name of Middleboro, Have you heard of it??? Obviously not because we continue to get slapped in the face when it comes to any kind of funding. The students in Middleboro H.S. need to walk around buckets when it rains because the roofs need major repair which was slatted to take place but oops we didn't recieve any stimulus funds. IN addition children can not take home their science books in the Middle school because the school can not afford to purchase them so the teacher needs to purchase them on their own. Lastly, our children don't dress to the weather because the heating system differs from hall way to hall way and we DONT HAVE AIRCONDITIONING we just have hot days of a 100 degrees where our children can not breathe.. Need I say more!!

That seems to be a lot of money for so few districts. Last week, I visited the Pingree Elementary school in weymouth, and the kid's/teachers' desks, books and other furnishings looked older than me...and I'm in my 40s!

Boston you have to be joking right...........sick and tired of all the big cities and towns getting all the $$. I live in Pepperell....what do you think we get from the state...........big fat nothing.........that's what. Oh we just get a bill to pay more taxes to that cities like Boston,Needham, Wayland, Billerica, Brookline, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dedham, Hamilton-Wenham, Nashoba, Norfolk, Plymouth, Rochester, Rockland, Sharon, and Sturbridge can benefit from it.

To clarify, MSBA currently already has projects ongoing at Holyoke High, the Putnam Vocational HS in Springfield, the Lincoln Elementary in New Bedford, the Conte Middle School in North Adams, the Worcester North HS and we are just completing payments for the new $110M Lawrence HS. We have also committed to projects in Hampden-Wilbraham (Western Mass) Ashburnham-Westminster, Granby and a variety of other districts. Maybe before besmirching our reputations, Jon, you can look on our website to see how hard we have worked to equitably fund schools with your tax dollars across the state.

I must of missed the towns west of boston, I mean central mass, needs
new school. I dont think we need A/C , but hey if its free we will take it.
the poor towns will never pass funding for there share, I mean broke is
broke right?. Wealthy and healthy get all the money, the down and our,
from north and west of boston, get the wrong end of the crap stick again.
Politics evil as evil is, Hey Uxbridge, forget it, we broke citizens
will never vote over ride, or let you bleed us on property tazes.
the state dosent need Uxbridge, or lots of other towns. Wealth
is power. broke is the wrong end of the stick again.

The school districts have to submit plans and apply for funds.

Yesterday the Globe reports a 200 million budget shortfall. Today officials initially approve the expenditure of 660 million. They must be using new math to balance the budget

Unfortunately for Wayland, those who have tirelessly promoted a new high school since 2003 did nothing to keep spending levels low enough to make that even possible in our beleaguered town. 5 overrides in 7 years later, Wayland's tax rate sits near the top (#3) for communities inside 495. This was all for everyday expenses.

Teacher salaries are at the top of the state (#5, after calculating FTE) following Boston, Brookline (big cities often pay more), Dover and Weston (close tie). Tax bills are considerably out of line with majority income and housing values. And Wayland is poorly positioned to return to academic prominence. Wayland teachers' contracts are locked in, so the Obama-supported longer school days and years are an incrementally heavier burden for Wayland.

The "concrete falling" was one piece a few years ago, was laughable, as is the rest of the push for a new high school. The need? Photos of puddles outside a classroom. A completely unsupported claim that WHS would lose accreditation (from the NEASC, whose head said Wayland wasn't even close).

Other marketing ploys? That a new high school would boost property values (Wayland average property values dropped 20% last year). A look at similar communities over the past decade shows that isn't true New educational facilities doesn't even cause a ripple. .

That a new high school will boost educational outcomes. (Never supported by any studies outside the construction industry). The only link to facilities improving educational outcomes is also linked to poverty, not a problem in Wayland.

Over a decade ago, a SJC decision mandated equal funding for education for all MA students. Wayland tried an end-run around this by passing biannual overrides. Ultimately, their short-sightedness will catch up with them. Charters are now routinely outscoring them in MCAS (how predictable was that?). And a new high school will only set Wayland that much further back from property value returns and educational prominence.

We could definitely use the money way more than the wealthy towns getting it. And so could the countless small towns across Massachusetts and the other cities struggling to get by. Unbelievable. How are they getting away with this?????

I don't see a problem with all communities sharing in funding, but the formula of the state sharing a fixed percentage no matter what the cost has to change. The state paid a fortune for it's half of the Newton $150m project - an obscenity. LIkewise it looks like Waylans is engaged in a similar obscenity with another star-of-the-art facility for a wealthy population, while other poorer cities and towns go without.

Let's put some limits on what the state will pick up in these shared projects. We should not pay for the poor fiscal habits of places like Newton and Wayland.

This is unreal, again the wealthy and good school systems getting the money.
How about Brockton, Avon... The rich gets richer! thank you politicians.

Am I missing something here? where is Boston mentioned in the article yet there have been numerous comments about the City. "Among the school districts approved for funding were: Needham, Wayland, Billerica, Brookline, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dedham, Hamilton-Wenham, Nashoba, Norfolk, Plymouth, Rochester, Rockland, Sharon, and Sturbridge. Go here for a description of the projects. " I wonder if Jon should invest in some glasses and read the article before going on the attack.

To the Middleboro resident - I too am from your town. And it baffles me why our town was left out. My child goes to the MKG school and it is a disaster too. HEating and cooling systems that fail to work in the appropriate temperatures. No cross ventilation classroooms, antiquated everything else! ANd I realize that the other schools in town also need renovation. I have heard plenty about MHS and its needs. It really is disappointing!

This is unreal...do people not realize that their towns can also apply for these same funds?

No...it's all about Boston once again. East vs West...but the sucking noise continues to come from the east.

Look at the current projects, not at the old projects or ongoing projects, but the current projects that were funded in this press release.

To be honest it is not my intent to besmirch anybody....rather to press the needs outside of the Boston influence on these kinds of projects.

I'll bet that if you spend 10% more money, your kids will be 10% smarter- no more; no less.

Most of you complaining don't understand the process. Get an override passed in your town if you want matching funds. Until then you can either shut up or move to a place that cares about schools and property values.

I would like to ask the state, Ms. Craven: How come North Reading did not make the list, again? We have a high school that is over 50 years old and bursting at the seams. The middle school is also in need of renovations and additions. North Reading has been frugal with its elementary school renovations during a time when the state was giving away money to towns to build taj mahals like North Andover High School.

I believe the citizens of North Reading are owed an explanation.

Hey Jon:
Twice you mentioned Boston. Learn to read. Boston got zip, zilch, zero, nothing. My kids go to school in Boston, in buildings that are about 100 years old, and certainly don't have air conditioning or other fancy amenities. What they do have are teachers who are continually asked to do more with every diminishing funding. $660 million is an awful lot of money that is being spent for the benefit of 1% of the student population. Maybe smaller town with smaller budgets and bigger cities with bigger problems will someday be able to hire the grant writers and proposal writers and so on that these affluent suburban towns are able to hire and maybe then ALL kids, not just a select few, will get their fair share too.
Boston Latin School, educates 2400 students, Boston Latin Academy, educates 1700 -- both got nothing. The city of Boston educates 20,000+ kids each year, and not a single school in Boston got a DIME. But some little 230 student school in the burbs got funds for air conditioning ... apparently it doesn't get hot in the city.
Keep that in mind when it comes time to think about Obama's plan for a longer school day and longer school year ... not ALL kids are sitting in new air conditioned classrooms -- many are sweltering and having a hard enough time just getting through mid-June.

what about Duxbury...ever see the decrepit HS???

The best part you dopes get to pay us workers $50-$60/hr to paint, clean and build your school. It's a thank you from Deval for helping him get elected by the us union tradesmen. Hey, that's what a few bucks donation can get you...A NICE BIG PAY DAY, THANK YOU MR. PATRICK. by the way taxpayers, screw you!!!

Too bad the pay grades are rated for these contracts. If non union companies were allowed to bid, many of these contracts would be for half of what they are funded. With all the people in the construction industry, many workers would be willing to work for a much lower rate just to feed their family and take care of the bills. Don't tell me the work wouldn't be as good, since I look and many union jobs that are just falling apart.

Why are we investing in local public school buildings while at the same time undermining those institutions by lifting the cap on charter schools? Am I missing something here? Long-term we can't fairly invest in both models for them to be effective.

Wow, everyone. Just saying, but you really need to do a little homework before you spout off with these comments. The schools on this list have literally been waiting years and years, as have those that now have projects ongoing -- those schools waited years, re-applied every year, re-adjusted their plans to meet state standards exactly, etc. etc. It's a long and complicated process; it's not just willy-nilly.

If you don't see your town on the list, that's because they're further back in the process or they don't have someone dedicated to keeping on top of the application. In my town, which is one of the towns that finallly received money this year, there is a staffer who stayed on the process 24/7 for many years running. It's not for the faint of heart.

If you're angy your school didn't get money this year, start by calling your superintendent's office and asking how you can help them get on the list next year. The towns that got money didn't just stick their hands out; they worked hard to make it happen.

To SensibleFunding:

The MSBA, I would think partially as a result of debacles like the Newton High School, has changed its rules dramatically. While funding is agreed to on a percentage basis, the overall budget must also be approved. They also stipulate a maximum fixed number that they will reimburse. They also, to the dismay of many towns, completely dictate the entire process. They say who can be on the building committee, they have twice as many votes on the building committee even though they provide less than half of the funding, they appoint the project manager for the project, etc. There are a TON of controls. I would imagine some towns find it hard to work this way. It's a stiff price to pay for state funding on local projects, but I think it's unfair to characterize it as some sort of free-for-all. If anything, they've clamped down too tightly.

I can not believe some of the schools districts on this list. There are towns that need help with their schools alot more than places like Needham, Sharon and Brookline. In Abington the windows have boards on them because they don't have the money. The buildings are completely falling apart. They are close to losing accredation because they don't have the money. Let's give all the money to the schools who don't need it. That makes sense.

Before you bash Wayland as a "have" getting state dollars you should consider a few facts. Wayland has been working on getting a new high school built for over 6 years. The town voted against an earlier proposal because state funding was not in place and the design was considered by some to be too high end. Hearing this the local school building comittee revised the scope downward, worked dilligently with state officials throughout the moratorium so the the town could be considered for funding when SBA again became solvent.

To have our High School Project on the list now for reimbusement (40%) eligible projects is the result of years of dilligent work from volunteers committed to this town need. I hope the voters in town support this innitiatve so a new High School can be constructed and the town can continue its committment to our schools and our next generation. The towns rural character, proximity to Boston, and committment to its schools is what makes Wayland great, and I for one am thankful for the years of hard work by our fellow citizens that has made this opportunity a reality.

Having attended both a high school and college with a variety of buildings scattered around the campuses, it's clear to me that I learned the most in the buildings that cost the most to construct (as opposed to those classes with the most engaged teachers). I say we give another $2B or so to the oh-so-wisely-envisioned Mass. School Building Slushhole, as opposed to thinking critically about why our schools are failing.

Actually, MSBA deserves some credit for the systems they have put in place to fund schools across the state. Of all state agencies, they seem to be the ones who really have a strong system and standards in place. Their review of projects has nothing to do with communities and everything to do with the state of the buildings themselves. Towns decide what their top priorities are, and many towns "think" their schools are in horrible disrepair, but everything is relative and there are some really bad schools all over this state. These are the ones that MSBA focuses on first. MSBA visits the schools and prioritizes project funding by which school needs the repairs and renovations most, not who is most politically connected. I only wish that they could figure out a way to get the projects in the ground faster to really stimulate the local economy.

Keep up the good work Katherine!

Congratulations to the municipalities that got this funding. But: Wayland, Needham, Sharon, Brookline...all wealthy towns with great school systems. I would be a whole lot more enthusiastic if the list was more like: Holyoke (where teachers have been known to hold classes in the hall due to lack of space), Springfield, Pittsfield, Roxubry, New Bedford, Mattapan, Lawrence. Their schools are in much greater need of support.
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Springfield, Holyok and Lawrence are all included. Read a bit more before you're so quick to jump on something.
Pittsfield was allotted money this year in 2009 already and every New Bedford school has had money alotted for improvements for the last 5 years. Roxbury and Mattapan both have state of the art Middle Schools. Just because, the rest of the areas aren't nice doesn't mean the schools are being neglected

I've read all of these comments and there is just ANGER on this board that is all for not. Learn about the process first and then come back with a logical argument.
You ARE 100% correct that some of these towns are more affluent than others BUT, that does not change the state of their schools. I work in the construction industry and am well aware of all of the potential projects out there. The fact of the matter is, there hasn't been much money made available for many years and now there is a huge backlog of schools that are defunct.
The Union argument is a non-factor as the Norwood HS project was done with almost all non-union contractors. So much to the point that there was actually a law-suit levied by an anonymous party that there wasn't Union workers for specific trades.
The MSBA reimburses a percentage based on a number of factors and it isn't 50% rather what the town can suffice. Hence why, Wayland is only getting $25 Million for a $72 Million project. Newton North was a travesty and an anomoly that the MSBA actually had a moretorium for to evaluate how their money gets spent.
Most of this money is from the Government Stimulus which was spread out over the next couple of years. If anyone should be complaining it should be states like Mississippi, Alabama, etc that received far less Stimulus money than Mass. So, the fact that our state has a $200 Million deficit is a mute point.
Worcester, New Bedford, Springfield, Pittsfield, Lawrence, and other less fortunate cities have received money recently for school projects and that is why some of them are not on the list.
As for Uxbridge, your town had an rfq out for AE design services back in May and STILL have not selected an architect to provide preliminary studies to even present to the MSBA for approval so, get your facts straight.
For all of you in towns like Middleboro and the such, I don't believe I've seen any proposals on the MSBA website but, I could be mistaken. Either way, There will be money available over the next few years so, don't give up hope.

Actually, Wayland's project is $70.8 M with $25M from MSBA, making the town foot the other $45M. I would just like to point out that there was a similar proposal back in 2005 for a new high school and was voted down partly because of the uncertainty surrounding state funding. Now that's not the case. I get the sense that Wayland recognizes that it must act NOW or there won't be state assistance available for many years, as funds are scarce.

I think there have been considerable misunderstandings posted here, and just turning everything into a political debate that is not necessary. These towns have been working for YEARS to obtain state help, and are very grateful that they can actually build now. ENOUGH with all the senseless bashing on hard working and dedicated individuals.

Mr Witt:
What I'm wondering is during the 80's didn't North Reading remodel the High School and add an addition? Also we added an addition to The Hood School and the Batch. Are we done paying for all these yet? Are we going to go to the state and taxpayers with hat in hand every 20 years for new and improved schools?

I still say that the town made a big mistake by turning the Murphy School into the town hall. They should of turned the High School library into a combination high school/ town library.

A lot of people who have commented are trying to paint Wayland as a wealthy town that's using the funds to improve an already exemplary school system, but that simply isn't the case. It's a great town with great schools, but the physical facilities at Wayland High School were in dire need of updates when I graduated from there five years ago. Classrooms built for 10 people were packed with 35 desks, open areas had to be sectioned off into makeshift rooms, and the utilities barely worked (someone else mentioned air conditioning above... forget air conditioning, we often had issues keeping the heat on and the water running.)
There's just a lot of angry people here who will always be skeptical of any spending on education, especially if it isn't in their community.

Jeffery is absolutely right. Wayland's high school is in deplorable condition and is an embarressment to the towns educational system. I'm also a gradute from the high school, and I can tell you the issues with the physical building are extremely obvious. I hope Wayland embraces this opportunity, and, when it's all over, the town will not only feel a sense of accomplishment that it was able to address these pressing problems, but will feel like a hugh weight was lifted off its shoulders. Keep going, Wayland! I know we can all get together as citizens and crush this junk heap of a building once and for all!

Jeffery is absolutely right. Wayland's high school is in deplorable condition and is an embarressment to the towns educational system. I'm also a gradute from the high school, and I can tell you the issues with the physical building are extremely obvious. I hope Wayland embraces this opportunity, and, when it's all over, the town will not only feel a sense of accomplishment that it was able to address these pressing problems, but will feel like a hugh weight was lifted off its shoulders. Keep going, Wayland! I know we can all get together as citizens and crush this junk heap of a building once and for all!