BOSTON — A commission created under a 2019 school finance law to delve into unique challenges facing rural districts stands to get more time and money to complete its work under the spending bill working its way through the Legislature.
The law that rewrote the state’s school funding formula, known as the Student Opportunity Act, created the Rural Schools Commission to make recommendations supporting rural and regional schools facing low and declining enrollment. State aid to districts is based on the number of students. The law gave the panel until Dec. 1, 2020, to file recommendations, but officials did not appoint its full slate of 19 members until this year and the first meeting was held on May 6.
State Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, who chairs the commission with state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, told members during a meeting on Tuesday that the $3.82 billion bill the House passed in late October allocating American Rescue Plan Act funds and surplus tax revenues included language extending the commission through March 31, 2022. The Senate’s bill, teed up for debate Wednesday, also includes the extension.
“We’ll be working hard before the Nov. 17 recess to get that passed,” Blais said. “Additionally, we were able to include $50,000 for the commission to continue its work, in terms of supporting the efforts and getting that final report together, which will be a big undertaking for this commission.”
Added through a Blais amendment, the House bill’s $50,000 is earmarked for costs, including, but not limited to, staffing and administrative expenses.
Blais said the commission is working on developing procedures for voting on final recommendations and resolving any potential disagreements among members.
The commission divided its work among subcommittees focused on health insurance and retiree costs, Chapter 70 and local aid, regionalization and shared services, special education and school choice, and transportation.