Massachusetts’ FY2024 Budget - What’s in and what’s out?
Photo credit: Governor Healey’s twitter account
On August 9, Governor Healey signed off on the FY2024 budget. Here’s what’s in and what’s out when it comes to school buildings.
What’s in?
The budget allocates an additional $100M to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to help school building projects facing extraordinary post-COVID inflation in construction costs. In addition, the budget raises the statutory limit on the MSBA’s grant-making to $1.2BN. These two actions combined will help several new school construction projects keep moving forward.
The budget also creates a new $50M Green School Works Program, a competitive grant program to help support schools looking to install and maintain clean energy technologies. Eligible projects include repairs needed to enable a move to clean energy. For example, schools could use the funds to complete roof repairs to enable the installation of solar or for the decommissioning of existing fossil fuel heating system equipment to make way for clean, all-electric heat pumps. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will administer this program and, according to the legislative text, “may” give preference to schools serving low-income and environmental justice populations.
We’re excited to help get the word out about this program and make it a success that will inspire continued investment in future state budgets.
What’s out?
The FY2024 budget that legislators put on Governor Healey’s desk did not include the Senate’s proposal for a Special Commission to study the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The Special Commission would have taken on the interrelated issues of equitable and adequate funding for school facilities, policies to support healthy schools, and policies to advance the state’s environmental and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in schools. This critical big-thinking work was supported by the statewide associations representing superintendents, school committee members, business officers, and facilities administrators, as well as both teachers’ unions and several national and local climate organizations. And yet, it was not included.
Where does this leave us?
When it comes to school buildings, the FY2024 budget reflects legislators in reaction mode.
The additional funding and raising of the statutory cap for MSBA grants were crucial to protect new construction projects. The Green School Works program reacts to the current lack of funding for the kind of repair and maintenance work that would enable schools to embrace clean energy solutions like solar. (The MSBA currently has on pause its Accelerated Repair Program which historically has been a source of funding for school roof repairs.)
What the FY2024 budget does not do is take on the big questions as it relates to school facilities.
How do we transition our existing 186 million square feet of school buildings to support the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and enhance climate resilience?
How do we address years of inequitable funding to ensure that low-wealth communities have the funding they need to provide all children, no matter their zip code, with a safe and healthy learning environment?
How do we mobilize to ensure schools take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act – a $1BN federal funding opportunity available to Massachusetts schools right now?
If legislators want to get out of reaction mode when it comes to school buildings, they could move on S.242 / H.469, “An Act establishing a green and healthy schools working group and implementation plan”, a bill sponsored by school buildings champions Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Mindy Domb.
You can help by asking your legislator to co-sponsor this legislation!
