AFT Massachusetts Applauds Legislature For Standing Up For Public School Students (October 23, 2025)
House and Senate override the Governor’s reduction to public education funding
After the House took similar action earlier this month, the Massachusetts Senate voted today to override nearly $20 million in critical public school funding cut by the Governor in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
When signing the FY26 Budget in July, the Governor reduced the Charter School Reimbursement fund by $19,898,807 – a ten percent cut to the amount afforded by the Legislature.
Every time a charter school opens in Massachusetts, it takes money away from the public school system in that district. In FY26, public school districts across the state are expected to lose over $1 billion to charter schools. The state partially reimburses sending public school districts for three years on a sliding scale.
Now that both chambers have voted to override the reduction, the charter school mitigation funds are restored to the level the Legislature originally funded them at, $198.9 million, an amount that is expected to meet the state’s obligation as required by the Student Opportunity Act.
“We thank the Legislature for preventing what could have been catastrophic cuts to our public schools as they face immense financial insecurity after losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding,” said AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “The cost for many local school districts to ensure every child has a free and equal public education outpaces the investment and reimbursements they receive from the state, particularly as the federal government continues to decrease its contributions. Coupled with a funding system that does not keep up with inflation, the money lost to charter schools is pushing many districts to a breaking point, especially those disproportionately serving the Commonwealth’s neediest students.”
Even with reimbursements, charter schools drain money and resources from public school districts at an unsustainable rate. When a student leaves for a charter school, the district does not see a significant change in its operating costs. School districts impacted by this the most, including Boston and Springfield, continue to serve some of the state’s neediest students as hundreds of millions of dollars in funding is siphoned off by charter schools. This year alone, Boston is estimated to lose $296.4 million while Springfield’s loss is estimated at $106.7 million. In terms of reimbursements, Boston and Springfield will receive $43.2 million and $25.2 million respectively.
“We remain committed to working with our allies in the Legislature and the Healey Administration to ensure all students have access to a high-quality public education and the services they need to thrive. With public education under assault at the federal level, it is even more critical that our state leaders answer this call so that Massachusetts can continue to lead,” continued Tang.