Help rural schools get what they need
At this time our top priorities are:
to restore the $4 million cut from FY26 Rural Aid through the Fair Share supplemental budget
to get Rural Aid fully funded at $60 million in FY27
to reopen the Chapter 70 foundation formula
to pass H.517/S.314 An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools, colloquially known as the rural schools bill, with its major provisions intact.
Below are critical action items and supporting tools. Please take one or more of the following actions today.
Ask your State Senator to support Rural Aid increases in the FY27 budget
The Senate Ways & Means FY27 budget has been released and will be debated and amended in the week of May 18th. The budget now calls for Rural Aid to be funded at only one third of the level of need identified by the Legislature’s own commission in 2022. Please contact your Senator and ask them to co-sponsor and support amendments to increase Rural Aid to meet the demonstrated needs of rural students. Click the button below for a letter template.
Advocate for the Fair Share supplemental budget
On April 9th, 2026, the Senate passed their version of a FY26 supplemental budget that designated more funding to rural school issues than the House budget did. The differences between the two bills are now being reconciled. It is essential that House leadership hears from rural towns about the importance of the following Senate provisions:
$4 million in FY26 Rural Aid
$4 million for FY27 Rural Aid
$25 million for supporting shared services and regionalization
$32 million for Circuit Breaker reimbursements
Please make calls and send emails to Speaker Mariano, (Ways & Means) Chair Michlewitz, and (Education) Chair Gordon. Email addresses, phone numbers and scripts are provided at the link below.
Write to the Ways & Means Committee
Submit an email to the Ways & Means leadership.
Make two requests.
Restore FY26 Rural Aid to its previous level of through a $4 million appropriation in the FY26 Fair Share supplemental budget H.5033
Fully fund Rural Aid at the recommended level of $60 million in FY27 and not a penny less
Email addresses and a letter template are available by clicking the button below.
Promote the rural schools bill
The map above shows the district representation of all of the current members of the Joint Committee on Education. Not a single Rural Aid-receiving school district is represented.
Write to the Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Education and request that they report favorably out of committee H.517/S.314 An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools, colloquially known as the rural schools bill.
This bill received a hearing on June 3rd, 2025. As written, it contains provisions that would benefit all districts in addition to codifying Rural Aid. Urge these lawmakers to keep the bill’s major provisions intact when reporting it out favorably.
Send your email to:
ken.gordon@mahouse.gov
jason.lewis@masenate.gov
fiona.brucebaiden@mahouse.gov
dennis.burke@masenate.gov
Your own State Representative and State Senator
Click here for the text of a sample email that can be copied and updated for your personal circumstances.