Rural and Declining Enrollment Schools Week of Action
Across the Commonwealth, educators, students, administrators, administration officials, municipal officials, community members, and more are joining together to send an SOS to Beacon Hill and the Governor, calling attention to the ongoing plight of underfunded rural and declining enrollment schools.
From March 9th to 13th, towns and districts will engage in student demonstrations, faculty and staff demonstrations, poster- and video-making student contests, press releases, and direct engagement with local news outlets about the continued lack of adequate state funding.
Please sign up to join us. No action is too small.
Senate discussion of rural schools
On January 29, the Massachusetts Senate debated legislation focused on expanding early literacy education in the Commonwealth.
During the debate, Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) spoke in support of an amendment she filed to the base bill, Amendment #18, to make the early literacy requirements possible and achievable and actually work for the rural and minimum-aid school districts she represents in the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district.
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Senate Education Committee Chair Jason Lewis, and Senator Kelly Dooner spoke in support of the amendment, and about the need for structural and systemic reform for how the Commonwealth is funding early and K-12 education.
Click the map above to see town names.
Legislative Updates
In January 2025, State Representative Natalie Blais (D-Deerfield) and State Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) introduced H.517/S.314 An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools.
The Senate version of the bill was reported out favorably by the Joint Committee on Education in a highly modified version that removed the Rural Aid provision among other things. Unfortunately, due to rules this session requiring separate bills from the House and Senate, and the unexpected resignation of Rep. Blais as the champion of the House bill, the rural schools bill is not expected to pass both chambers.
Learn more ⟶
Webinar on rural schools issues in Massachusetts
On February 28th, MASC Rural Schools Committee co-chairs Martha Thurber and Jessica Corwin presented a Learning Lunch webinar on rural schools issues and possible solutions.
Click here to view the recording on YouTube.
Click here to view the slides (and here for graphs on hold harmless analyses).
Click here for additional materials including several commission reports.
On October 30th, 2023, the Joint Committee on Education held a hearing on the H.3567/S.2388 An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools. Click the button below to learn more and review videos of the testimony offered.
“Over time, course offerings, student support services, and extracurricular activities have been substantially reduced in rural schools due to underfunding. In some cases, these reductions have driven students to seek alternatives... This compounded enrollment loss further reduces funding and a downward cycle of reduced enrollment, reduced funding, and diminished educational experience continues...”
— The Commission on the Fiscal Health of Rural School Districts
On July 20th, 2023, State Representative Natalie Blais and State Senator Jo Comerford co-hosted a legislative briefing. Click here to review the materials presented at the briefing.
“POVERTY does not choose an address. Poverty doesn’t choose urban or rural locations. Poverty exists in both. Special education needs exist in both urban and rural districts, and the extraordinary needs of our students must be addressed in every community in our Commonwealth. Because of the Student Opportunity Act, Taunton Public Schools has the resources needed meet its commitment of identifying student subgroups requiring focused support to ensure all students achieve at high levels in school and are successfully prepared for life… We know absolutely that these are the kinds of programs which break the cycle of poverty and economic disadvantage. Shouldn’t these be available to EVERY student regardless of zip code?”
-John Cabral, Superintendent, Taunton Public Schools
“Some say that fully funding Rural School Aid at $60 million is somehow giving rural schools an advantage. Schools like Gateway are currently facing tough decisions like choosing between critical staff positions or having a working intercom system. Rural schools aren’t asking for advantage, but instead for survival. What [this bill] will do, as it says right in its title, is help ensure a sustainable future for rural schools. As you have heard today, there are also benefits for every school within this legislation from transportation costs, regionalization, and financing of special education. When rural schools have a sustainable future, the entire Commonwealth does because students today are what will continue to make Massachusetts thrive tomorrow.”
-Joey Pisani, 12th grader, Gateway Regional High School