Massachusetts

Amid Mass. school budget crises, lawmakers weigh how to fix school funding system – The Boston Globe

Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2025

Amid Mass. school budget crises, lawmakers weigh how to fix school funding system – The Boston Globe

The recommendations could address budget challenges districts are facing due to causes including recent high inflation, the end of federal pandemic relief funds, and the rising costs of special education and student transportation.

“There are few issues as important as ensuring we have well-funded, high-quality public schools for all of our children, no matter what communities they live in,” Lewis said. “Even though the inflation rate has come down to more manageable levels, we had several years where inflation was quite high, and that has a real impact on school districts.”

Lewis helped lead the creation of the Student Opportunity Act, passed in 2019, which will add more than $1.5 billion to school budgets by 2027. Most of the new money has gone to Gateway Cities such as Springfield, Worcester, and Lawrence, which serve disproportionate numbers of high-needs students and depend heavily on state education funding. The law has also ensured all districts receive at least $30 more per student each year.

But that financial boost has been greatly eroded by inflation: its annual inflation cap is 4.5 percent, but inflation in the wake of the pandemic surged to more than 7 percent. It has since come back down, but the gap it created in district finances remains. Teachers and other school staff continue to seek raises to keep pace with the cost of living, including through increasingly frequent strikes.

School leaders, teachers unions, and advocates have called for the state to cover the gap created by inflation. Lewis’s proposal appears to have early bipartisan support; Senate minority leader Bruce Tarr is a cosponsor of the bill, while Senate President Karen Spilka said in her inaugural address earlier this month she hopes to tackle school funding this year.

Ed Lambert, director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, said it made sense to try to address some of the challenges identified by Lewis, but said the state should not just be focused on how much money it provides districts.

“We need to really be prioritizing, along with how the money is distributed, how the money is being spent,” Lambert said. “If they’re not spending it on evidence-based practices … you can change the formula all you want, it’s not going to make a difference.”

Lambert’s group is one of those that would get a seat on the commission, according to the bill.

Other drivers of rising costs include special education, particularly the $1 billion-plus Massachusetts districts spend to send students with disabilities to specialized campuses, including private special education schools. The cost of transporting students — also often to special education schools — has also risen significantly.

Making district finances more difficult is the state’s property tax cap, which limits increases to 2.5 percent annually unless voters approve an override at the polls. Dozens of communities have sought overrides in the last two years — often unsuccessfully.

Colin Jones, deputy policy director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a progressive think tank that would get a seat on the commission, said in a statement his group has not taken a position on the bill, but immediate action is also necessary.

“Over the past five years, the Student Opportunity Act has added $1 billion in school funding across Massachusetts,“ Jones said. ”Even with that incredible progress, it is a fitting time to have a systemic review of K-12 funding.”

Lewis acknowledged the budget challenges go beyond the schools, and said he would also support reexamining how the state distributes other local aid, but education is his priority.

“The school budgets are typically by far the largest part of municipal budgets, so if a community is looking to have to make budget cuts, that’s often going to fall disproportionately on the schools,” he said.

This year also marked the end of federal pandemic relief funds, which infused more than $2 billion into Massachusetts schools since 2020. That money was always known to be temporary, but it was used to “shore up the finances of many districts,” Lewis said. Other districts spent it on new staff, including tutors and extra classroom aides, to help their students, who are still behind their pre-pandemic peers.

Lewis noted the commission would take years to produce a new school funding formula and said the state should try to provide more funds to school districts on an annual basis in the meantime.

According to the bill text, the commission would also consider whether to remove the inflation cap on state aid, how to fund special education and transportation appropriately, and how to adapt to many districts losing enrollment, given state aid is largely allocated based on enrollment, except the state does not cut aid to districts with falling populations.

That could even include examining areas of potential cost savings, Lewis said, such as having small districts with declining enrollment share resources or consolidate.

The commission would include members of both parties in the state Legislature, the state education department, teachers unions, various municipal and school associations, and five appointees of the governor.

The commission would also consider removing or altering a requirement for the state to assist even the wealthiest towns with their school budgets. The state calculates a “foundation budget” required to adequately educate the community’s students (though districts can and do spend more) and funds at least 17.5 percent of the foundation budget for every district.

Lambert said the commission should address that provision as well as the annual per-student increase received by every district, as both run counter to the system’s goal of sending more needs-based aid to needier districts.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at christopher.huffaker@globe.com. Follow him @huffakingit.

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Massachusetts

Ben & Jerry’s is giving out free ice cream today. Where in Massachusetts?

Published

1 hour ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Ben & Jerry’s is giving out free ice cream today. Where in Massachusetts?

Ben & Jerry’s is giving out free ice cream on April 14. On that day, ice cream lovers can walk into any participating shop and leave with dessert – no wallet required.

The Vermont-based company is preparing to serve up “1 million and one” scoops across 13 countries on Free Cone Day, a highly anticipated annual giveaway event, according to a Ben & Jerry’s press release.

“Free Cone Day is all about our fans. It’s our way of saying thank you with an international moment of togetherness,” CEO Jochanan Senf said in a statement.

The Free Cone Day tradition began in 1979, after the ice cream company’s first year of business in Burlington, and has continued to grow ever since.

Here’s where to get a free scoop of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream this year in Massachusetts.

When is Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day 2026?

This year, Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is on Tuesday, April 14. The free ice cream is typically given out at Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops between noon and 8 p.m., though some shops may vary.

How Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day works

Customers can visit any participating Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop to receive a free cup or cone of ice cream, according to the company’s website. You can pick whichever flavor you want. No purchase is required.

“There’s no catch and no fine print,” Ben & Jerry’s said on the website.

While there may be a line outside your local Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop on Free Cone Day, it will likely move quickly because staff don’t need to ring up orders.

And the best part? Customers can get back in line as many times as they’d like. In fact, it’s actually encouraged, according to a Ben & Jerry’s press release.

“So, if fans are stuck choosing between a classic flavor like Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Cookie Dough, or a Scoop Shop exclusive like Marshmallow Sky, Sweet Cream & Cookies or Mint Chocolate Chunk, they needn’t worry. Why choose just one, when they can try them all!” the company said.

Participating Ben & Jerry’s locations in MA

At least 17 Ben & Jerry’s locations in Massachusetts participate in Free Cone Day. Here are their addresses and special Free Cone Day hours:

Boston – Faneuil Hall: 8 North Market St., Bay 22, North Market, Boston, MA 02109 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Boston – Fenway: 61 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Boston – Newbury Street: 174 Newbury St.,Boston, MA 02116 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Boston – Prudential Center: 800 Boylston St., Prudential Center, Boston, MA 02199 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Boston – Quincy Market: 4 South Market St., Boston, MA 02109 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Boston – Seaport: 83 Seaport Boulevard,Boston, MA 02110 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Braintree – South Shore Plaza: 30 Forbes Road,Braintree, MA 02184 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Cambridge – Harvard Square: 35 JFK St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Cambridge – Porter Square: 59 White St., Cambridge, MA 02140 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Hingham – Derby Street: 92 Derby St., #113, Hingham, MA 02043 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Hyannis: 352 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Marlboro: 187 Boston Post Road West, Marlboro, MA 01752 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Natick: 1265 Worcester St., Route 9 West, Natick, MA 01760 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
North Eastham: 50 Brackett Road, North Eastham, MA 02651 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Pittsfield: 79 South St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
South Deerfield – Yankee Candle Company: 25 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield, MA 01373 (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Watertown – Arsenal Yards: 103 Arsenal Yards Boulevard, Watertown, MA 02472 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

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Massachusetts

20 years later: How Massachusetts health care reform changed access

Published

14 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

20 years later: How Massachusetts health care reform changed access

This week marks 20 years since Massachusetts passed a landmark health care reform law that reshaped how residents access medical care and helped pave the way for national changes.Signed on April 12, 2006, the Massachusetts health care reform law — often referred to as “Romneycare” — expanded insurance coverage through a combination of Medicaid expansion, subsidized private plans, and an individual mandate requiring most residents to carry insurance. According to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the law led to one of the highest insured rates in the country, with coverage now exceeding 97% of residents.Two decades later, doctors say the impact is still being felt, especially when it comes to how patients enter and navigate the health system.Dr. Daniel Chandler, a primary care physician and associate chief medical information officer at Tufts Medical Center, says the law fundamentally changed access to care.“Health insurance really allows people to have a primary care doctor and a medical home,” Chandler said. “And the alternative to that is often the emergency department, which can be very expensive.” With expanded coverage, more residents are now able to see primary care providers, allowing for earlier intervention and preventive care.Chandler says that shift can make a significant difference.“You can get some necessary screening done and preventive care when it’s relatively easy to fix and it’s less expensive,” he said.Despite high coverage rates, affordability remains a top issue for many patients.“Patients complain about cost all the time,” Chandler said, noting that premiums are only part of the financial burden. “Often, there’s a lot of co-pays that can add up if you choose the wrong plan.”For patients, navigating insurance options can be overwhelming, especially during limited enrollment periods.“The topic is incredibly complex,” Chandler said. “If you have resources like family members or friends who are knowledgeable, I always recommend that you ask them.” Doctors warn that financial pressure can lead patients to delay or skip treatment — a decision that can have long-term consequences.“It can be really catastrophic to avoid treatment,” Chandler said. “If a problem is easy to fix early, that can get more difficult and more expensive over time if you don’t fix it early.”To help address those challenges, many health systems — including Tufts Medicine — now offer support services such as social workers and pharmacy teams to help patients find lower-cost medications, financial assistance or other resources.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

This week marks 20 years since Massachusetts passed a landmark health care reform law that reshaped how residents access medical care and helped pave the way for national changes.

Signed on April 12, 2006, the Massachusetts health care reform law — often referred to as “Romneycare” — expanded insurance coverage through a combination of Medicaid expansion, subsidized private plans, and an individual mandate requiring most residents to carry insurance. According to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the law led to one of the highest insured rates in the country, with coverage now exceeding 97% of residents.

Two decades later, doctors say the impact is still being felt, especially when it comes to how patients enter and navigate the health system.

Dr. Daniel Chandler, a primary care physician and associate chief medical information officer at Tufts Medical Center, says the law fundamentally changed access to care.

“Health insurance really allows people to have a primary care doctor and a medical home,” Chandler said. “And the alternative to that is often the emergency department, which can be very expensive.”

With expanded coverage, more residents are now able to see primary care providers, allowing for earlier intervention and preventive care.

Chandler says that shift can make a significant difference.

“You can get some necessary screening done and preventive care when it’s relatively easy to fix and it’s less expensive,” he said.

Despite high coverage rates, affordability remains a top issue for many patients.

“Patients complain about cost all the time,” Chandler said, noting that premiums are only part of the financial burden. “Often, there’s a lot of co-pays that can add up if you choose the wrong plan.”

For patients, navigating insurance options can be overwhelming, especially during limited enrollment periods.

“The topic is incredibly complex,” Chandler said. “If you have resources like family members or friends who are knowledgeable, I always recommend that you ask them.”

Doctors warn that financial pressure can lead patients to delay or skip treatment — a decision that can have long-term consequences.

“It can be really catastrophic to avoid treatment,” Chandler said. “If a problem is easy to fix early, that can get more difficult and more expensive over time if you don’t fix it early.”

To help address those challenges, many health systems — including Tufts Medicine — now offer support services such as social workers and pharmacy teams to help patients find lower-cost medications, financial assistance or other resources.

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Massachusetts

USPS Worker Pinned Under Mail Truck After Massachusetts Crash Lucky To Be Alive, Fire Chief Says

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

USPS Worker Pinned Under Mail Truck After Massachusetts Crash Lucky To Be Alive, Fire Chief Says

April 13, 2026

First responders say a United States Postal Service worker is lucky to be a live after a crash in Medway Friday that left her trapped under her mail truck.

Shortly before 11:20 a.m., police say a red pickup truck driving along Main Street struck the postal truck from behind. The mail carrier inside the postal truck was leaning out to deliver mail at the time.

The crash sent the truck rolling into the mulch of a nearby front lawn.

A USPS worker was pinned under her truck following a crash in Medway/CBS Boston

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