Education Petition: City Manager and City Council: Increase the budget for public education to at least 3% above minimum

http://www.change.org/petitions/city-manager-and-city-council-increase-the-budget-for-public-education-to-at-least-3-above-minimum

We, the undersigned, call on the Worcester City Manager and the Worcester City Council to increase the city's contribution to the Worcester Public Schools budget. We ask the City Council to invest in public education by contributing at least 3% above the minimum required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Sadly, 1996 was the last year that Worcester played a leading role in urban district funding levels. In 1996, the City Council recognized the value of public education and contributed 5.7 percent above the state-mandated minimum to the Worcester Public Schools. Since 1998, the city has consistently contributed less than one percent above minimum (with one exception: 2009, 1.5%) and last year allocated less than the minimum. In contrast, communities across the state continue to support public school education at an average level of more than 14 percent above minimum, with our peer communities (other urban districts) averaging more than 3 percent above minimum. Worcester's budget for the current fiscal year provides nothing above the minimum (0.0%) for public education. Clearly, the Worcester Public Schools and the children attending them are not a budgetary priority for the City Manager and Council.

The City Council has neglected to provide public education with sufficient funding to keep up with our peer communities over the past 14 years. We must reverse this trend, and show we are in a position to compete with other communities across the commonwealth in meeting the demands for a high quality education. As the City Manager and City Council, you must listen to your constituents and make public education a top priority by establishing adequate financial resources. For our city to prosper, we need all of our children to have competitive educational resources. Please invest in the future of our city by insisting on a budget that includes at least 3 percent above the state-mandated minimum for public schools.