Each year, NEBHE presents Regional Excellence Awards to individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and the advancement of educational opportunity, and State ...]]>

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) named recipients of its 10th annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards.

Each year, NEBHE presents Regional Excellence Awards to individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and the advancement of educational opportunity, and State Merit Awards to honor the innovative work of organizations, institutions or individuals in each New England state.

Regional awards:

• Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and former Gov. Donald Carcieri of Rhode Island (The Governor Walter R. Peterson Award for Leadership)
• Richard Gustafson, former Chancellor, Community College System of New Hampshire (The Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement)
• Bunker Hill Community College Learning Communities (The Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Achievement)
• Cornelius “Con” Hogan, Chair, Board of Trustees, Vermont College of Fine Arts (The David C. Knapp Award for Trusteeship)

State merit awards:

• Connecticut College of Technology (Connecticut Community College System) and Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Director (Connecticut State Merit Award)
• Early College for ME, Maine Community College System(Maine State Merit Award)
• Donald Smyth, Trustee, Bristol Community College(Massachusetts State Merit Award)
• Paul LeBlanc, President, Southern New Hampshire University (New Hampshire State Merit Award)
• Ron Machtley, President, Bryant University (Rhode Island State Merit Award)
• Vermont Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), University of Vermont (Vermont State Merit Award)

NEBHE will present the awards at its New England Higher Education Excellence Awards dinner on Friday, March 2, 2012, at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel in Boston.

In mid-June, we reported that Connecticut and Vermont had completed budgets in record time, followed by completions in Maine and New Hampshire. Now, Massachusetts and Rhode Island ...

Massachusetts Budget

To the consternation of labor leaders, Democratic lawmakers ...]]>

All six New England states have completed the initial step in their budget processes in this very difficult fiscal year.

In mid-June, we reported that Connecticut and Vermont had completed budgets in record time, followed by completions in Maine and New Hampshire. Now, Massachusetts and Rhode Island ...

Massachusetts Budget

To the consternation of labor leaders, Democratic lawmakers in Massachusetts, who have had long had the support of organized labor, initiated changes in negotiating the cost of health insurance in cities and towns. The plan reduces the leverage of local unions in the collective-bargaining process and gives management more say at the table. Municipal leaders urged the Legislature to address skyrocketing health care costs at the local level, which have been instrumental in layoffs and budget shortfalls.

Eleven days into FY12, which began on July 1, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a $30.6 billion spending plan, which was balanced with a series of spending cuts and $185 million from the state’s rainy day fund. Facing an anticipated $2 billion gap in revenues and spending, Patrick and legislative leaders chose to cut local aid, higher education and Mass Health, as opposed to adding revenue-raising measures.

Among highlights, the Bay State budget:

• levies no new broad-based taxes
• cuts Mass Health, the state’s Medicaid program by $800 million
• cuts funding in half for adult day-care programs
• cuts annual clothing allowance for needy children from $150 to $40
• cuts public higher education by approximately $70 million
• reduces education aid/Chapter 70 funding from $4.47 to $3.99 billion
• reduces local aid to cities and towns by $65 million (which can be restored if revenues continue to come in above projections for the remainder of FY 2011)
• provides a 3% increase to retired state employees on the first $12,000 in pension benefits
• revamps the state’s public defender program by which will eliminate reliance on high-priced private attorneys

Restricting Collective Bargaining

The governor took steps to modify the health insurance reform passed by both branches of the Legislature for municipalities negotiating health insurance. The plan is expected to save cities and towns approximately $100 million in the first year. At the outset, labor officials were outraged and threatened to replace lawmakers who supported the plan. In the Commonwealth’s financially strapped cities and towns, skyrocketing health insurance costs have been taking their toll on local services and school budgets which in many instances resulted in the loss of public safety and teaching jobs. The plan passed by the House and Senate leaders provides local officials with greater leverage in controlling local health insurance costs.

To assuage the concerns of labor, Patrick proposed amendments to the Legislature’s plan, including:

• setting aside 5% of the savings to create a mitigation fund to address issues associated with changing the design/plan and the effect of such changes on retirees and low-income workers.

• establishing a threshold for unilateral decisions made relative to transferring subscribers into the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) , the government entity that provides health insurance for state employees, retirees, housing authorities and some municipalities. A municipality would have to demonstrate a 5% savings above what can be achieved by the current plan in a city, town. A city or town that transfers into the GIC would lose control over setting rates for local health insurance and would have to make a three-year commitment, as well as paying administrative fees.

• deleting a Senate section that would have required many cities and towns to increase contributions for retirees and replaces it with a two-year grace period for communities that implement a change in plan/design.

• clarifying the language regarding plan/design features which cannot exceed what is available in a plan under the GIC. Labor expressed concerns that municipalities could strip employees of basic coverage offered in health plans such as mental health services.

K-12 Education

Funding for school districts will be reduced by $82 million, which reflects in part, the loss of $221 million in federal stimulus dollars.

According to the Massachusetts Teachers Association, K-12 grant programs will see funds increase for:

• Special Education Circuit Breaker Program by $80 million with total funding of $213 million for FY12
• Regional School Transportation by $3 million over FY11 with total funding of $43.5 million for FY12
• Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) by $5 million with total funding of $9.5 million.

Full-day Kindergarten, Expanded Learning Time and the METCO program were all funded at 2011 levels.

Higher Education

The public higher education system will be funded at the FY11 state appropriation level. A total of $61.5 million in federal stimulus funds used in FY11 will not be available in FY12.

The University of Massachusetts approved a 7.5 % increase in student fees which will, according to University officials, help close a gap of $54 million. Of the $54 million shortfall, $38 million can be attributed to the loss of federal stimulus funds. Students will pay $800 more in fees. Retiring President Jack Wilson said that at least 30% of the fee revenue would be used for financial aid programs. In academic year 2011-12, and undergraduate students who are state residents will pay an average of $11,838 in tuition and mandatory fees.

Rhode Island Budget

Lawmakers worked with newly elected Gov. Lincoln Chafee to put together a spending plan that includes cuts in benefits for state workers, increases sales tax revenues and increases the cost of health care for many enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program.

The Rhode Island General Assembly and Chafee approved a $7.7 billion budget one day before the beginning of the new fiscal year. The budget eliminated a $186 million shortfall created by the absence of stimulus funding. The budget also cuts $100 million in state spending.

At the beginning of the budget process, the state faced a $331 million shortfall, which prompted Chafee to propose a reduction of the state’s sales tax from 7% to 6%, while adding a lengthy list of items currently not taxed. Legislators balked at the governor’s recommendations. In the meantime, revised revenue forecasts essentially cut the shortfall to $186 million.

Among highlights in the Rhode Island budget:

• Additional revenue will be raised by taxing non-prescription drugs, software and video downloads, smartphone applications and sightseeing tours which will have a 7% sales tax added Oct. 1. This is expected to generate approximately $17 million in new revenue.
• Families enrolled in Rite Care, the state’s Medicaid Program, who are above the poverty level with annual incomes of $33,000, will pay higher monthly premiums. Premiums will rise from $61 to $91 per month.
• School construction projects will be sidelined for three years.
• Automatic pay increases for state workers based on years of service will cease.
• Longevity payments for state workers will be eliminated when current contracts run out.
• A referendum on the 2012 ballot will ask voters to approve table games like poker, blackjack and roulette at the Twin River slot parlor.

K–12 Education

K-12 education will receive $17 million in additional dollars, which essentially endorses the new education funding formula.

Higher Education

Chafee proposed an additional $10 million in state funding for the state’s higher education system but the General Assembly slashed the $10 million to $4 million in increased funding. Rhode Island currently provides 15% of the funding for the state system and ranks near the bottom nationally in state appropriations to higher education. Officials at URI, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island will need time to assess the impact of the final budget. CCRI was hardest hit in the budget and will be faced with reducing $5.6 million in operating expenses.

Legislators will return in October for a special session to take up pension reform.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.

The Future of Higher Education in Connecticut by Dannel P. Malloy, Governor of Connecticut

Outwardly, the results appear impressive—growth in enrollments and degrees granted, expanded campuses and program offerings, and a well-known reputation for ...]]>

We invited each of the six New England governors to write articles on future challenges facing higher education in their respective states. ...

The Future of Higher Education in Connecticut
by Dannel P. Malloy, Governor of Connecticut

Outwardly, the results appear impressive—growth in enrollments and degrees granted, expanded campuses and program offerings, and a well-known reputation for maintaining high academic standards. Yet at some point along this path, we lost our national ranking as first in educational attainment, outpaced by other states acting more aggressively and with greater foresight in anticipating future economic and demographic challenges. It is imperative that we turn this around now, or else we forever play catch-up.

In Maine, Postsecondary Success Starts Before College
by Paul R. LePage, Governor of Maine

If we’re not engaging students, but still promoting them from grade level to grade level, they’re graduating from high school unprepared for the rigors of college coursework. If they even enroll in college, it’s those students who are most likely to need remediation, and most likely to drop out before they earn a degree. What we need in Maine is an education system that holds students to rigorous standards, encourages students to take charge of their own learning and has flexibility and relevance at its core. In other words, our education system needs to offer all students—especially those at-risk of falling behind—more opportunities to be successful in school.

In Mass., Public Higher Education Is Engine for Opportunity
by Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts

Thanks to our dedicated teachers and committed students, Massachusetts leads the nation in student achievement and classroom innovation. We’ve made education our top priority because it’s the path to a more fulfilling life, a more rewarding career and a richer society. I have personally experienced the transformative power of education and have a deep understanding of what a good teacher and a good school can mean to a young person.

For more on the series, see Here Come the Guvs.

Thanks to our dedicated teachers and committed students, Massachusetts leads the nation in student achievement and classroom innovation. We’ve made education our top priority because it’s the path to a more fulfilling life, a more rewarding career and a richer society. ...]]>

NEJHE presents exclusive articles by New England's governors on higher education in their states ...

Thanks to our dedicated teachers and committed students, Massachusetts leads the nation in student achievement and classroom innovation. We’ve made education our top priority because it’s the path to a more fulfilling life, a more rewarding career and a richer society. I have personally experienced the transformative power of education and have a deep understanding of what a good teacher and a good school can mean to a young person.

We’ve supported public education by investing in our schools at the highest levels in the history of our state, even when the bottom was falling out of the rest of the budget. And we’ve added new reforms that raise teacher accountability and encourage more innovation in the classroom to reach the children stuck in the achievement gap. These investments in money and time are working; our students rank first in the nation in student achievement and have for each of the past five years. We rank in the top five internationally in math and science. And we were the top scorer in the national Race to the Top competition.

The targeted investments we’ve made and the results we’ve seen don’t stop at K-12. We are mirroring these gains at the level of higher education. Before I was elected governor, I spent most of my professional life in the private sector and did business all over the world. I can tell you from experience that education is our international calling card. We are known the world-over for our highly skilled workforce and world-class education system. Massachusetts is blessed with an unusually high concentration of great public and private universities that have spawned a vast array of research institutions, teaching hospitals and tech hubs.

Our 29 outstanding public higher education institutions are at the heart of this mix and essential to the health of our workforce. They host the skilled innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders that will graduate prepared to compete in the global economy and choose to enrich our Commonwealth by residing here. Continuing to support this excellence is and will remain a challenge in the budget environment we are facing. But by prioritizing education as part of an overall growth strategy, we will continue our investments in educational innovation and promote Massachusetts public higher education on the national and world stages.

That starts by finally building up our campuses again. We’re delivering on a $2 billion higher education capital improvement plan to modernize our campuses and provide students and faculty with access to cutting-edge facilities and technology. That means new buildings, more access to the technology they’ll need to use in their future workplaces and more support for students at every stage of their educational career.

We are sharpening and refocusing the resources we already have in place. Under the leadership of Commissioner of Higher Education Richard Freeland, we have launched the Vision Project, which consists of a series of strategies to unite the public higher education system and promote efficiency, benchmark and track progress, increase transparency and accountability and raise the profile and recognition of the campuses.

We’re doing some exciting work connecting the dots between different areas of public education that didn’t necessarily collaborate before. Pathways Early College Innovation School located at Mount Wachusett Community College is a great example. Parents and teachers in the school district there came together and created an Innovation School, an in-district charter school we enabled through last year’s Education Reform Bill. In partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College, they created a program for 11^th grade students at risk of dropping out to take advantage of the resources offered by the community college in an environment that supported their ambitions and focused their studies.

We’re working to ensure a smoother transition from high school to college and between our community colleges and state universities. I have prioritized dual-enrollment programs, which allow high school students to take courses on college campuses for credit that counts toward their diploma and toward a college degree. The program provides access to advanced subject matter and also exposes high school students to life on campus to build their confidence so they are better prepared when they transition to higher education. We instituted the MassTransfer program, which allows students to fluidly transfer across our 29 public campuses. And the University of Massachusetts Amherst just launched the Community College Connection Program, which gives preference to admissions, housing and financial aid to talented community college students seeking to continue their studies at our flagship public campus.

Finally, we’re scaling up efforts to match higher education with local employers to ensure students are fully prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation. I have tasked a group of economic development and education officials to work on improving our system’s ability to respond to industry and employer needs, especially through our community colleges. Members of my team are taking a close look at how we can better orient our higher education programs to meet the needs of a dynamic, evolving workforce, and I look forward to implementing their recommendations.

These targeted investments along with our reforms and the focus we’ve placed on connecting our students with opportunities for success, are working. A world-class, accessible system of public higher education is an important component of our growth strategy and our commitment to competing in the global economy. Massachusetts already hosts the brightest graduates and strongest institutions in the country. But best in the world is where we’re heading.

Deval Patrick is serving his second term as Massachusetts governor.

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s two-year plan to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit (in the first year alone) relies on significant concessions from labor to the tune of $1.5 billion. Unions gave Malloy strong support in ...]]>

• Governors, Legislators Seek Concessions From Labor
• Deep Cuts Applied to Higher Education and Scholarship Programs
• K-12 Treading Water After Losing Stimulus Funds

Connecticut

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s two-year plan to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit (in the first year alone) relies on significant concessions from labor to the tune of $1.5 billion. Unions gave Malloy strong support in his race for governor. The remaining portion of the deficit would be addressed through $750 million in program cuts and $1.5 billion in tax increases.

The General Assembly’s Finance and Appropriations Committees met with Malloy and reached agreement on the budget for FY12-FY13. Following the meeting, the Joint Appropriations Committee released its budget, which will be debated in the House in the coming week. The governor and legislative leaders still must finalize an agreement with labor. Malloy has said he expects to see a budget on May 6.

Higher Education

Malloy has proposed a two-year $144-million cut to public higher education. Also included in his budget is a plan to restructure the system, which features the following:

• The boards of trustees for the Connecticut State University System, the community colleges, Charter Oak State College and the Board of Governors for Higher Education would be eliminated and replaced by a Board of Regents for Higher Education and one CEO.

• The Regents would develop a strategic plan to increase Connecticut’s educational attainment with input from the public and stakeholders.

• The Regents would develop a formula to distribute taxpayer support to campuses on the basis of enrollment, attainment of identified policy goals and other factors.

• The Regents would issue annual reports on: student outcomes such as retention and graduation; allocation of resources; cost analysis of academic programs; an affordability index based on the median income of a family of four; enrollment and completion by program; transfer of college credits across institutions and a joint report with the Department of Labor on employment and earnings of graduates.

The Legislature is expected to support the plan despite reservations of several key lawmakers, who have expressed concern about costs savings and the separate and distinct missions of the institutions involved. Several legislators also question why the University of Connecticut is not part of the plan.

UConn is facing a deficit of $45 million, which includes a $25 million cut by Malloy. Tuition at UConn will increase by 2.5% for the next academic year, reflecting the rate of inflation; in-state students will pay $10,676 in tuition and fees and out-of-state students will pay $25,152.  A 2.5% increase will also be applied to tuition and fees at the four Connecticut State Universities. Meanwhile, an increase of nearly 3%  will raise tuition and fee rates at the Connecticut community colleges.

As part of his plan to reduce the state deficit, Malloy has put the $23.4 million Connecticut Independent College Scholarship Program on the chopping block. This comes at a time when cutbacks are slated for federal student aid programs including Pell Grants. Judith Greiman, president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, said more than 1,500 Connecticut students will not receive grants next year, and more than 3,000 will not receive grants in the following year. College presidents of private institutions have indicated they cannot make up the difference for the loss of the program.

The governor’s plan also includes a provision that would take away collective bargaining rights of many college faculty. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, faculty who are department heads or who hold other decision-making posts would be reclassified as managerial employees, which would disqualify them to take part in collective bargaining as faculty members.

Pre-K-12

Malloy’s budget level-funds elementary and secondary education with a slight increase to early-childhood programs. Education officials are pleased that Malloy's budget fills the gap created by the absence of $270 million in stimulus funds.

Despite Malloy’s proposals to eliminate and/or consolidate state agencies, Sen. Beth Bye has filed legislation that would create a new state agency to address the mix of early-childhood education and childcare programs. She proposes an agency similar to the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care to help eliminate the state’s overlapping child-care programs.

Malloy has increased funding for school-choice programs by $70 million in order to comply with the terms of Sheff vs. O’Neill, which requires the state to reduce racial isolation in Hartford’s public schools.

Maine

The Joint Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee continues to work on Gov. Paul LePage’s $6.1 billion spending package for the next two years. The spending plan is $300 million higher than the previous year.  Parts of the governor’s plan hinge on public employees, who are being asked to contribute 2% more of their salaries toward the state pension system, which currently has an unfunded liability of $4.4 billion. Also, the governor is asking that the retirement age for state employees be raised from 65 to 67.

Higher Education

LePage has level-funded the public higher education system in his budget. University of Maine officials, while expressing appreciation of how higher education is treated in the budget, will in all probability raise tuition by 4.5% for the coming academic year. Chancellor Richard Pattenaude says this would be the smallest increase in eight years. In 2009, tuition increased by 9.6%. The university must still deal with a $6 million deficit.

In his biennial report to the Maine Legislature, Maine Community College System President John Fitzsimmons called for an expansion of the system. Fitzsimmons noted that in fall 2010, the system turned away 5,300 qualified students because of a lack of capacity. He proposed a plan to increase capacity which includes expanding Southern Maine Community College to the former Brunswick Naval Air Station to eventually serve 2,000 students, and expanding Kennebec Valley Community College to the Good Will Hinckley campus, which would serve an additional 1,500 students. Fiztsimmons also mentioned "Accelerate ME," a program that helps Maine adults complete their college degrees, and the Maine Community College System’s Rural Initiative which provides scholarships and degree programs to rural students as additional ways to access higher education.

K-12

LePage’s budget provides an increase of $23 million in state aid to K-12. However, $59 million in stimulus funds will be lost, so education funding will actually decrease by $36 million. Legislators are looking to change the Essential Programs and Services/EPS funding formula for K-12, which has hurt rural communities. More than 25 bills have been filed to change the formula for education funding.

Massachusetts

The Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee released a $30.5 billion budget for FY12 on April 13. The spending plan features a controversial proposal to reform the process for setting municipal health insurance rates outside collective bargaining. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a staunch supporter of labor, favors the reform crafted by Rep. Brian Dempsey, chair of the Ways and Means Committee. The plan is estimated to save municipalities approximately $100 million and is endorsed by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

A report by the Boston Foundation cited health care costs in local budgets soaring to $1 billion from 2000 to 2007. That’s $300 million more than state aid to education during the same period. While wealthier school districts were able to make budget adjustments, poorer school districts were forced to cut books and teachers. This runs counter to the 1993 Education Reform that passed to equalize funding for all Massachusetts school districts.

The House proposal calls for local officials to set the premiums for health insurance plans. Municipal employees would have the right to bargain their share of the premiums. Municipalities would also have the option of joining the Group Insurance Commission. Employees of the Massachusetts public higher education system and all other state employees are part of the Group Insurance Commission, which sets rates and premiums for health insurance costs outside the collective bargaining process. Labor leaders view the House plan as an assault on public employees and have vowed to remove lawmakers who support the plan. The Massachusetts Teachers Association opposes the plan and supports a scaled-down version proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick.

Debate on the House budget is expected to run from Monday, April 25, through Friday, April 29. Senate President Therese Murray predicts the Senate will pass a local aid resolution, which agrees with the plan outlined in the House budget, and take up the budget in late May.

Higher Education

The House and the governor agreed on funding higher education at FY11 levels However, the system is short $61.5 million, which represents stimulus funds used in FY 11 that are no longer available. Campuses will receive 7.5% less in funding. Beginning in FY12, all campuses will be allowed to retain tuition from out-of-state students.

The University of Massachusetts and its campuses face a deficit of $54.5 million for the coming year. President Jack Wilson, who will step down after this year, has cut more than 500 faculty and administrative positions, reduced overtime and decreased energy and discretionary expenses. Wilson will also raise student fees. Current in-state tuition and mandatory fees at UMass Amherst are $11,732, Out-of-state tuition and mandatory fees are $23,628.

The state’s scholarship programs will be funded at $86.5 million, which represents a decrease of $3 million from FY11. The House budget includes an additional cut of $1.8 million.

Pre-K-12

The House budget agreed with the governor’s budget in funding pre-k–12. While local aid was reduced by $65 million, education aid to school districts was increased by $140 million.

State Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester is proposing to reward teachers and administrators when students show improvement on their MCAS scores. The plan would also mandate a course correction for teachers of students who underperform.  The Massachusetts Teachers Association takes issue with the idea that MCAS would be central in evaluating teacher performance.

Secretary of Education Paul Reville wants to examine how New Hampshire’s dropout rate fell after increasing the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18. Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire reported the rate fell to below 1% after raising the dropout age to 18. However, the New Hampshire House recently passed a bill restoring the dropout age to 16.

New Hampshire

The Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from Chancellor Edward MacKay and executives from the University System of New Hampshire who appeared before the committee to make their case for more state aid.

Gov. John Lynch cut the state appropriation to the University System of New Hampshire by 5%. The New Hampshire House went much further, cutting $31 million or 45% out of the budget for each fiscal year.

MacKay said the cut would have a dramatic impact on student aid. Cuts have also been made to the state’s scholarship programs. Lynch and the House agreed to eliminate the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission and the state grant programs it administers.  MacKay said with federal programs being cut, there will be $6 million less for next year’s students.

The New Hampshire community colleges were cut in the House budget by $18.7 million over the next two years. Community college officials said this is the equivalent of closing two campuses. Enrollment has increased over 34% during the past three years.

Sen. Chuck Morse, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said he’s not looking to cut as deeply as the House, but indicated there will be further cuts and warned higher education officials not to blame the Legislature for rising tuitions.

UNH President Mark Huddleston formed a task force to deal with a 45% or $31 million cut to the university’s budget by the New Hampshire House. Huddleston expects to eliminate 200 positions with layoffs, buyouts and not filling vacant positions. The task force is due to report on May 1 with a list of recommendations.

The university is also in the midst of negotiating faculty contracts. The faculty proposed a 12.5% salary increase over three years, while the administration countered with a 6.5% increase over three years. A “fact finder” recommended an 8.75% increase over three years with cuts to benefits. The faculty accepted the fact finder’s recommendation. But the University System’s executive board rejected the recommendation as unrealistic given the current fiscal climate.

K-12

State aid to local school districts was cut $8.7 million. An additional $7.9 million was cut from an aid program for severely disabled students.

Education officials are also sorting out the latest results from the New England Common Assessment Program. Based on the New England Common Assessment Program/NECAP, the state issues Adequate Yearly Program (AYP) reports for grades 3-8 and 11, combined with the 2009-10 NH-Alternate Assessment results for Grades 2-7 and 10, and the Class of 2010 graduation rate.

The New Hampshire Department of Education reports that of 469 school reports, 327 did not achieve Adequate Yearly Progress/AYP in one or more areas. Also, 14 high schools failed to meet the target of an 80% graduation rate. In subject areas, 197 schools achieved AYP in reading while 166 achieved AYP in mathematics. Those schools not making AYP for two consecutive years in the same area are designated as a School in Need of Improvement. Based on the new results, 60 schools are identified as new Schools in Need of Improvement.

Rhode Island

Speaker of the House Gordon Fox rejected Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s sales tax plan in its present form, saying the plan’s proposed 1% tax on water, home heating oil and manufactured supplies is “offensive.” Fox is willing to work with the Chafee administration to come up with an alternative plan.

Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed also rejected the Chafee plan and will explore other alternatives including spending cuts and consolidations. She specifically mentioned the elimination of the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education as an area where spending could be cut.

Higher Education

Chafee won praise from college and university officials for increasing funding for higher education by $10 million for FY12. The total funding for higher education is $154 million. But the officials say it won’t stop tuition and fees from going up especially after $40 million in funding cuts in prior years. At Rhode Island College, President Nancy Carriuolo said the college must still address a $4.6 million budget gap.

Chafee appointed and the Senate confirmed eight new members of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education. The Board has 13 members and all but one member will be replaced. The new chair is Lorne Adrain, a Providence businessman and philanthropist who replaces Judge Frank Caprio.

K-12

The Chafee budget provides $700 million for school districts for FY12. Rhode Island will also receive federal Race to the Top funds of $75 million. In testimony before the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee, Commissioner Deborah Gist said the proposed budget for Rhode Island schools supports her formula for education funding, which distributes funds based on the number of students enrolled. Gist reported Rhode Island students outperformed students in New Hampshire and Vermont in the New England Common Assessment Program for 2010. Gist also admitted there are areas where improvement is needed. Only 33% of high school students were found to be “proficient” in mathematics. Rhode Island’s graduation rate, which is approximately 75% statewide, is 60% or lower in some school districts, and Hispanic students in Rhode Island have the lowest achievement rates in the U.S.

Vermont

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $4.68 billion spending plan, and the full Senate will debate the budget on April 21.

Higher Education

Gov. Peter Shumlin’s budget level-funded the University of Vermont and the Vermont State Colleges for FY12. UVM and the state colleges are asking for an additional amount of $4.2 million which reflects stimulus funds that were applied to these budgets in FY11.

UVM is requesting $43.3 million. The Vermont State Colleges are requesting $24.8 million from House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

In making their case to the House and Senate Appropriations committees, UVM President Dan Fogel and VSC Chancellor Timothy Donovan cited the following:

Vermont State Colleges:

• Full-time equivalent enrollment at all five institutions has gone up 56% over the past decade, and 114% at the Community College of Vermont.
• 54% of VSC students are the first in their families to attend college.
• 74% of VSC graduates stay in Vermont.
• Of Vermont high school seniors who planned to attend college in-state, 18% were headed to VSC in 2000 and 25% in 2008, while UVM’s share remained about the same at 12%.

University of Vermont:

• More than 29,000 UVM alumni—about 30% of all UVM graduates—live in Vermont.
• UVM is the state’s fourth largest employer, with 3,800 employees.
• UVM admitted 70% of its Vermont applicants, and of the Vermonters admitted, 40% enrolled.
• Of the roughly 25,000 out-of-state students attending college in Vermont, UVM enrolls about 32%, VSC 9%, and private colleges, 59%

UVM trustees will consider a 5.8% increase in tuition when they meet in May. Currently in-state students pay $12,888 and out-of-state students pay $32,528. Fees are $1,894. The Vermont State Colleges have already voted to increase tuition rates for the coming academic year. In-state students will pay $8,568 and out-of-state students will pay $12,864. Fees are $899.

K-12

In announcing the results of the latest NECAP statewide tests, the Vermont Department of Education invited the students of Montgomery Elementary School and their teachers and principal to attend a press conference recognizing their achievement. Officials identified 14 schools across the state with high scores for all students, as well as students in poverty. Of the schools identified, Montgomery had the highest percentage of students in poverty (63%), but also had the highest overall percentage of students who scored "proficient" and above (92.9%), and the highest percentage of students in poverty who scored proficient and above (88.8%).

According to the U.S. Census of 2010, Montgomery Center, Vt., has a population of 1,201 residents. It is a short distance from Jay Peak Mountain, which is five miles from the Canadian border. Typically, low-income, economically disadvantaged students do not experience the same  academic success as their classmates. Montgomery’s students proved to be the exception.



Connecticut Biennial Budget

Gov. Dan Malloy’s two-year $40 billion budget calls for $1.5 billion in new ...]]>

The author, NEBHE consultant and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures Carolyn Morwick, notes that this update on state budgets was accurate as of March 29, but events are changing rapidly in the six state capitals.

Connecticut Biennial Budget

Gov. Dan Malloy’s two-year $40 billion budget calls for $1.5 billion in new taxes, which includes hikes in the sales and gas taxes and in alcohol and cigarette taxes.

Part of the governor's spending proposal includes restructuring the state's higher education system. To reduce the deficit, the governor proposed cutting state funding for grants/scholarships for Connecticut students attending private institutions by 25% and for those attending state schools by 10%.

Gov. Malloy and House Speaker Christopher Donovan, both Democrats, aim to speed up what had become a long contentious budget process during the Rell years. Donovan expects the House to pass the budget for FY12-FY13 in early May. The Appropriations and Finance Committees are working out the details.

Maine Biennial Budget

Gov. Paul LePage vowed to veto any budget that does not include $200 million in tax breaks and welfare reform. Both Democratic and Republican legislators are working to reach a consensus on the budget, which does not necessarily guarantee the governor will get what he wants. The governor has indicated he will not cut education.

Massachusetts Annual Budget

Massachusetts is bracing for budget cuts, which are the biggest in 20 years. The FY12 budget of $30 billion is based in part on an additional $1 billion in sales tax revenues, the result of a hike in the sales tax approved in 2009. Cuts include eliminating 900 jobs, closing two prisons, cutting benefits to Mass Health (Medicaid) recipients, cutting $23 million out of emergency homeless shelter funds, and cutting state aid by $65 million. Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget contains no tax hikes. However, it is balanced by using $200 million in the state’s rainy day fund.

House and Senate budget-writers warn that Gov. Patrick’s recommended local aid cuts will in fact be much deeper. House Ways and Means Chairman, Brian Dempsey is advising House members to tell local officials that the $1.5 billion that was available for this year won’t be there for the new fiscal year. Senate Ways and Means Chairman Stephen Brewer said cities and towns are struggling to deal with rising health care costs, which are cutting into increases in local aid.  Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo stated his opposition to raising taxes. The House is expected to release its budget in mid April.

New Hampshire Biennial Budget

Gov. John Lynch proposed a budget of $10.7 billion, which is approximately 7% less than the current budget. The House Finance Committee approved a budget of $10.1 billion, which makes $519 million in additional cuts, claiming Gov. Lynch’s revenue estimates are off by $300 million.

In light of the deep cuts proposed by the Finance Committee, Gov. Lynch is asking the Senate to restore the cuts, especially in public safety, health and human services and higher education. Under the House bill, approximately 8,000 residents would be affected by the elimination of mental health services and programs. Lynch also said the committee’s proposal to cut state appropriations to the University System of New Hampshire by 50% and to the community colleges by 20% will make it very difficult for students to go on to college. The full House is expected to vote on the budget on Thursday, March 31^st.

The governor stated his opposition to passage of a bill by the House to allow students to drop out of school at age 16. This bill reverses previously enacted legislation that raised the dropout age to 18, which the governor noted resulted in the dropout rate declining.  He also supports a constitutional amendment to allow New Hampshire to provide more state aid to revenue-poor communities as a means of equalizing funding for public education. The House recently voted to return to an old formula allowing communities to set spending rates.

Rhode Island Annual Budget

The House Finance Committee began public hearings on Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s $7.7 billion spending plan during the week of March 21. At issue is the governor’s proposal to lower the sales tax from 7% to 6%, while including new items that would be subject to the sales tax. Chafee also proposes cutting areas in human services such as the state’s pharmaceutical assistance program for elderly residents of Rhode Island. Other areas that would be subject to cuts include ending the state’s film tax credits.

Vermont Annual Budget

The Vermont House passed a spending plan for FY 2012 on March 25 by a margin of 95-34. The budget is 3.6 % less than the previous year’s budget.

In a historic move, the House also passed the nation’s first single-payer health care reform bill. The Senate is expected to pass the bill and send it on to Gov. Shumlin, who is expected to sign the measure. Under the bill, Green Mountain Care, a universal health insurance plan would be available to all residents of Vermont.



The good news is that the New England states are showing slight gains in revenue collections. The bad news is that it will not be enough to stave off a new round of budget cuts for the coming fiscal years. States are preparing budgets for FY12 and FY13 while addressing shortfalls in FY11 budgets. ...]]>

The good news is that the New England states are showing slight gains in revenue collections. The bad news is that it will not be enough to stave off a new round of budget cuts for the coming fiscal years. States are preparing budgets for FY12 and FY13 while addressing shortfalls in FY11 budgets. Most states have spent stimulus funds to avoid massive layoffs in K-12 districts and higher education. But governors and legislators fear the worst is yet to come.

Connecticut

Projected deficit for FY12: $3.67 billion

New Gov. Dan Malloy confronts a huge challenge in addressing Connecticut’s budget for the coming biennium. The state burned through $1.4 billion in its rainy day fund and has spent most, if not all, of the one-time stimulus funding. Malloy is scheduled to file his budget plan for the new biennium, FY12, FY13, in mid-February.

K-12

Commissioner of Education Mark McQuillan abruptly resigned from his post, citing the stress of the job and frustration with working in a politically charged environment. He also expressed his disappointment with layoffs in his department and not being successful in the competition for federal Race to the Top funds. Yet McQuillan was largely successful in navigating the political landscape and is credited with passage of school accountability legislation, a new mentoring program for teachers and passage of a school reform bill which increases requirements for graduation from middle school and high school while giving parents more power to affect change in failing schools through governance councils. Malloy will conduct a nationwide search for a new school chief. In the interim, Deputy Commissioner George Coleman is expected to fill the vacancy.

Higher Education

In June 2010, the trustees of the University of Connecticut approved a budget for FY 12 of $1.03 billion—a 4.8% increase over the previous year’s. The board also approved a 6% increase in tuition, fees and room and board charges for in-state students, which would amount to $20,968.

In September 2010, trustees of the Connecticut State University System approved a freeze on tuition and fees for academic year 2011-12, but cautioned they may have to reconsider due to the recession's severity.

Connecticut Community Colleges will increase tuition and fees by 2.5%.

Full-time students now pay $3,406 in tuition and fees, which will increase to $3,490 in the 2011-12 school year.

House Speaker Chris Donovan and Senate President Don Williams are reluctant to cut state services but are looking at ways to address the deficit including consolidating agencies and cutting the bureaucracy. Higher education is expected to be on the chopping block.

The Connecticut General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Research reported that budgets for UConn, the CSUS and the Connecticut Community Colleges increased by more than 200% over the past two decades. In a recent report released by the Legislature’s bipartisan Program Review and Investigations Committee, UConn and the CSUS were ranked ninth and 11th among peer institutions as the most expensive public universities in the U.S. Higher education leaders warned that with more cuts in state appropriations to higher education, they would have few options but to further raise charges.

Maine

Projected deficit for FY12: $1 billion

New Gov. Paul LePage appointed a committee to review all budgets and issue recommendations for the new biennium, FY12 and FY13, by the end of January. The budget is due in the Legislature on Feb. 11. Rep. Sawin Millet, formerly the ranking Republican on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and a veteran lawmaker, is heading the team of budget advisers. He was recently named director of the Department of Administration and Financial Services. LePage is expected to have the support of a Republican Legislature in making his budget recommendations for the new biennium.

Revenue collections are up by $365 million, driven by state income taxes, both individual and corporate. University of Maine economist Jim Breece said corporate tax revenue has come in above estimates all year. But he warned that the increase is the result of a change in how Maine assesses the corporate tax, not because Maine corporations have turned a profit.

K-12

LePage has not yet named his choice for education commissioner to succeed Angela Faherty who was appointed acting commissioner in July 2010, when Commissioner Susan Gendron left the post to become policy director for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The outlook for the department remains uncertain as speculation grows about how resources will be allocated. LePage denies reports he will downsize or eliminate the department.

Higher Education

The University of Maine System submitted a budget request to former Gov. John Baldacci requesting a $7.1 million increase for FY12 and $7.4 million for FY13 for a total of $14.5 million in the biennium. If this request is approved, students would see a 3% increase in tuition rates. If the request is rejected, a 5% increase in tuition rates would be adopted. Maine’s community college system is requesting a 3.5% budget increase in each year of the biennium for a total increase of 7% over the next two fiscal years. No increase in tuition is factored into the request. Democratic legislators have indicated that at the very least, funding for the UMaine System might remain at current levels, but most agree that some cuts are inevitable.

Massachusetts

Projected deficit for FY12: $1.5 billion

As a part of his efforts to control spending, Gov. Deval Patrick begin his second term looking at a budget that will cut $1 billion to $1.5 billion out of state government. He is also looking to exercise greater control of pensions and health care costs and may cut local aid payments. His budget will be released on Jan. 26.

K-12

According to a report recently by the Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, municipal health care costs have increased dramatically, surpassing increases in state education aid (Chapter 70).

The net effect has been to cut spending for textbooks and teacher-training programs and increase class sizes. Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan said the report “puts into clear and compelling focus what many have suspected for some time: that our good-faith efforts to close the achievement gap are being erased by the cost of health care.”

At issue is a state law that requires municipal employees to bargain collectively over health care plans, while state employees are exempt from this requirement. The result has been that health care costs for state employees have risen much more slowly than those for municipal employees. In the coming legislative session, lawmakers are expected to take up the issue of exempting collective bargaining provisions that apply to health care plans for municipal employees.

According to Linda Noonan, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, “Our significant investment in education since 1993, and the gains in student achievement that followed, are at risk due to the uncontrolled costs of employee health care.”

Higher Education

All public institutions are preparing for additional cuts in campus budgets for FY12. University of Massachusetts Chancellor Robert Holub anticipates a cut of $18 million for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2011. This is based on a level-funded budget and no new stimulus funds. Trustees will not set rates for tuition and fees until June. In-state students currently pay $11,732 in tuition and fees.

All public campuses—UMass, the State Universities (formerly the State Colleges) and the Community Colleges—are anticipating cuts of 7%.

New Hampshire

Projected deficit for FY12: $680 million

K-12

Following years of wrangling and lawsuits, New Hampshire will tackle a new education funding formula as Gov. John Lynch begins his fourth term. But already, many communities are complaining their school budgets will suffer.

Higher Education

After three consecutive fiscal years of level-funded budgets, the University System of New Hampshire requested an increase of $5 million in FY12 and an additional $5 million in FY13, with a total increase of $10 million for the biennium. The Community College System of New Hampshire is requesting a 4% increase in its budgets for FY12 and FY13.

Rhode Island

Projected deficit for FY12: $295 million

Gov. Lincoln Chafee begins his first term, as the state budget office is requesting all agencies to apply a 15% cut to their budget requests for FY12.

K-12

Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist will not comply with the state budget office’s request to cut 15% out of her budget and is requesting an increase of $45.5 million or a 5.3% increase in state funding.  Approximately half of this amount would offset the loss of stimulus funds and the remaining amount would be distributed to local school districts in education aid.

Higher Education

The Board of Governors for Higher Education also rejected a request from the state budget office to cut budgets by 15% and instead approved a $31 million or 22% increase in funding for academic year 2011-12 for the public higher education system. There would be no increases in tuition or fees.

The Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority is requesting an increase of  $21 million in funding. Executive Director William Hurry said a cut of 15% would mean reducing scholarships for college-bound students.

Vermont

Projected deficit for FY12: $112+ million

In fall 2010, the deficit was projected to be $112 million, but according to the Vermont General Assembly’s financial analysts, it may be closer to $150 million.

K-12

As part of the Challenges for Change initiative, which cuts spending across the board in state and local governments, Vermont’s school boards were asked to reduce their budgets by 2.3%, allowing for a reduction in property taxes. In mid-December, however, education officials reported that the state’s 60 school districts could not meet the $23.2 million in voluntary spending reductions. Some districts reduced their budgets by a combined total of $4 million in budget proposals for FY12. With the majority of districts not being able to meet the targeted cuts, new Gov. Peter Shumlin announced that property tax rates will remain the same for FY12 and suggested using $19 million in federal stimulus funds to bridge the gap.

Voters will have a chance to weigh in on school budgets and the property tax rates on the first Tuesday in March, Town Meeting Day, when most school boards present their budgets for the coming fiscal year.

Higher Education

Trustees for the University of Vermont approved a budget for $289 million for FY11, which included a 4% increase in tuition. The budget reflects a 1.4% increase over the previous year. In prior years, tuition increased at the rate of 6%. For FY11, the in-state tuition rate is $12,180, and the out-of-state rate is $30,744.

Trustees for the Vermont State Colleges approved an increase in tuition rates of 3% for FY11. In the previous year, tuition rates increased by 6.8%. For FY 11, in-state tuition at the Vermont State Colleges is $8,232. Out-of-state tuition is $18,792.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.



Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick vowed to push for in-state tuition for illegal immigrant students at state colleges during his second term.

Patrick announced the plan earlier this month at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition's annual Thanksgiving luncheon. Though no specific details were revealed, Patrick's plans draw on many of the 130 immigration reforms recommended ...]]>

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick vowed to push for in-state tuition for illegal immigrant students at state colleges during his second term.

Patrick announced the plan earlier this month at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition's annual Thanksgiving luncheon. Though no specific details were revealed, Patrick's plans draw on many of the 130 immigration reforms recommended by an advisory panel a year ago.

The vows came weeks after Patrick won re-election with heavy support from Massachusetts immigrant communities and after a unanimous ruling by the California Supreme Court granting illegal immigrants the same reduced tuition at public colleges and universities available to legal residents of the state.

The high-profile immigration issue isn't confined to California and Massachusetts. Nine other states have laws similar to California's, and the U.S. Department of Justice continues to challenge Arizona's controversial new immigration law.

Additionally, The Wall Street Journal today endorsed the DREAM Act, a proposal that would provide undocumented students brought to the U.S. as children with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status.

Massachusetts advocates include Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong and Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo who will join a coalition of religious leaders today to speak at a DREAM Act rally at St. Paul Cathedral in Boston.

Speakers will urge Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown to support the bill in Congress. Brown, who is opposed to the bill, called the program a form of amnesty. "I am opposed to illegal immigration, and I am deeply disappointed that Washington politicians are playing politics with military funding in order to extend a form of amnesty to certain illegal immigrants."

Related Posts: DREAM Act: What’s It Mean for Waking New England?; Immigrants as “Jet Fuel” for Jobs in Mass.; Papers? Fairfield Gets Grant to Study Undocumented Students; Bipartisan Support for DREAM Act; Immigrant Education