Advocating for Public Education

MTA proudly assumes the role of the pre-eminent voice on Beacon Hill in support of public education, lobbying for continued funding of education reform efforts, annual increases in public higher education budgets and a continuing commitment to equal educational opportunity and the future of public education. MTA

• Rallies friends of education by serving as the leading organization in pro-public education coalitions, including Citizens for Public Schools, Council for Fair School Finance, and Mass Partners, to name a few.
• Protects your classrooms, and the ideas flowing through them, by firmly opposing legislative attempts to censor curricula, impose vouchers, or provide public aid to private institutions.
• Assigns staff to work with members at the local or campus level to defeat attempts to weaken public preK-12 or higher education.
• Recommends candidates for local, state, and national office who are committed to children and education.

Legislative Action Alerts

Recent Public Education Funding Developments

• Action Alert: Budget Vetoes
  A number of Governor Patrick's vetoes have an impact on public education and MTA members. Contact your legislators today.
• Proposed Senate budget reflects economic downturn
  The $28 billion budget increases funding for Chapter 70 and public higher education and does not include an increase in the health insurance premium shares for state employees.
• MTA launches campaign against income tax repeal
  The MTA strongly opposes the November ballot initiative because it would devastate public education, the economy and our quality of life in Massachusetts. The consequences would be dire.
• House budget reflects fiscal concerns
  But the proposal includes new tax cuts for corporations and financial institutions and new loopholes and tax avoidance opportunities. Chapter 70, when inflation is taken into account, is still $421 million below FY02 funding levels.
• The governor's budget
  MTA's analysis of the FY09 proposal released January 23.