Due to a glitch in the Student Opportunity Act, the record inflation of recent years will cost Massachusetts students $465 million next year - and impact every year going forward - unless state leaders fix the glitch. “Since the Student Opportunity Act was passed in 2019, the Commonwealth has shown its unwavering commitment to K-12 education and the future of our kids. Through the height of the pandemic, legislators fought to keep schools funded, and won. But now, failing to keep up with inflation threatens to undermine that progress.” - Colin Jones, Deputy Policy Director Currently, the Commonwealth’s funding formula has a 4.5 percent annual inflation cap, which simply does not reflect the reality of recent years. The two most recent fiscal years had levels of inflation reaching roughly 7 to 8 percent, which means that 219 districts are getting less aid than they would with recent inflation fully accounted for this year. If left unaddressed, what could be a bump in the road will turn into major deficits and deeper inequities in future years. While the state may not be able to provide immediate relief for such a large gap in funding, legislators could take a multi-year approach and look to future revenue from Fair Share for a solution to the glitch. In the new report, Jones projects - by district - what Chapter 70 aid would look like if the inflation glitch was fixed and state aid was adjusted to account for cost growth. Read more.

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