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TAKE ACTION: Two Major Bills Open the Door for Youth-Focused Policy Change!

 

The end of the formal legislative session is fast approaching, and we need to make the most of these final weeks!

The legislature is currently considering two major bills: the economic development bill and the housing bond bill. Key amendments to these bills filed by our legislative champions in the State House have given us the opportunity to get some of our policy priorities all the way to the Governor’s desk.

Legislators will be debating the hundreds of amendments for both bills before the end of the week, which means they need to hear from you now! Please join us in taking action below to support Massachusetts youth and young adults.

Economic Justice Starts in Schools: Stop the Suspension and Expulsion of Students Because of What They Wear

School rules regarding grooming and dress continue to disproportionately target girls of color and LGBTQ+ students for punishment, reinforcing racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic norms in classrooms and pushing students with these identities out of school more frequently.

The effects of punitive school discipline are serious and follow young people into adulthood – students who are suspended or expelled become more likely to drop out of school, struggle to find employment, and earn lower wages overall compared to their peers who graduate. 

Rep. Fluker Oakley has filed an amendment to the economic development bill that acknowledges the way unfair school discipline contributes to long-standing educational and economic disparities by funneling already marginalized youth out of school and towards the criminal legal system. Amendment #184 would make rules related to student grooming and dress unbiased and objective as well as stop the suspension or expulsion of students for the perceived violation of these rules, an important component to keep girls of color and LGBTQ+ students in class and out of the school-to-prison pipeline.

Massachusetts students deserve welcoming, inclusive schools where they can show up as their authentic selves and thrive. Please take this one-minute action to contact your State Representative and urge them to co-sponsor and actively support Amendment #184 in the economic development bond bill!

TAKE ACTION

 

Youth Experiencing Homelessness Must Have Access to Supportive Services

Minors may be experiencing homelessness alone for a number of reasons, such as abuse or family conflict over sexual orientation and gender identity. And while there are existing services that could help, current law prevents youth under the age of 18 from consenting to many of these services without a parent – despite the reality that seeking their parents’ consent is often not an option. 

When young people cannot access the services they need, they are extremely vulnerable to victimization and violence. As the 2022 Massachusetts Youth Count found, respondents who left home as minors were less likely to be sheltered, have a high school degree, or receive the help they need. 

Amendment #209, filed by Sen. Gomez, would ensure mature minors can access important services, helping youth between the ages of 15 to 18 meet their immediate needs and assisting them on their journey towards stability. Similarly, Sen. Kennedy’s Amendment #271 would support youth and young adults experiencing homelessness by allocating $10,000,000 in funding for housing and wraparound support services, an essential investment that reflects the scale of need across the state.

Massachusetts has seen a surge in youth homelessness over the past year and with queer and BIPOC youth disproportionately impacted, these amendments are critical to establishing increased supports for some of our state’s most marginalized young people. Please take this one-minute action and urge your State Senator to co-sponsor and actively support Amendments #209 and #271 in the housing bond bill!

TAKE ACTION

 

Keep informed & stay involved!

Stay tuned for more opportunities to take action and support Massachusetts families and youth by liking us on Facebook and following us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram! Check out our website for our most recent news.

To support our work, please consider giving a donation today.

Thank you for advancing social justice in Massachusetts!

 

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Education Over Exclusion: Stop Discriminatory Treatment of Students Based on What They Wear

 

We celebrated a major victory in 2022 when the CROWN Act was signed into law, establishing civil rights protections against natural hairstyle discrimination to prevent the over-policing and surveillance of Black and brown girls as young as five years old.

But we cannot stop now – just a few months after the passage of the CROWN Act, an eighth-grade student in Malden was punished for wearing a hijab. School rules regarding grooming and dress continue to disproportionately target girls of color and LGBTQ+ students for punishment, reinforcing racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic norms in classrooms across the Commonwealth.

H.4400/S.2663 would build on the progress established by the CROWN Act by making rules related to student grooming and dress unbiased and objective. Crucially, it would also stop the suspension or expulsion of students for the perceived violation of these rules, an important component to keep girls of color and LGBTQ+ students in class and out of the school-to-prison pipeline.

Massachusetts students deserve welcoming, inclusive schools where they can show up as their authentic selves and thrive. This bill is now sitting in House and Senate Ways and Means and we need your help to keep it moving to the next stage in the legislative process. Take action today and urge your legislators to advocate with State House leadership, asking them to release H.4400/S.2663 and send it to the floor for a vote!

TAKE ACTION

 

Keep informed & stay involved!

Stay tuned for more opportunities to take action and support Massachusetts families and youth by liking us on Facebook and following us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram! Check out our website for our most recent news.

To support our work, please consider giving a donation today.

Thank you for advancing social justice in Massachusetts!

 

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Joint Rule 10 Day Progress Report: Where Did Our Legislative Priorities Land?

Earlier this month marked Joint Rule 10 Day, the deadline for legislative committees to take action on bills and a pivotal moment as we learn which of our legislative priorities have a chance to get passed this session. Four outcomes are possible for each bill:

  • Reported out favorably: The bill advances in the legislative process.
  • Sent to study: The bill is tabled and will not move forward this legislative session.
  • Reported out unfavorably: The bill receives a negative vote and will not move forward this legislative session.
  • Deadline extension: The committee gives itself more time to consider the bill and will make a decision later in the session, ultimately landing on one of the three previous outcomes.

Join us as we dive into the results of Joint Rule 10 Day, exploring where some of our priority bills have landed and unpacking what this means for our advocacy over the next few months.

The Good News

The Access to Counsel Bill was reported out favorably, a major milestone in the fight to ensure low-income residents facing eviction have access to legal resources and assistance! With Governor Healey including a line item to fund Access to Counsel in her proposed FY25 budget, this is an opportunity to push for the line item to be passed alongside the more comprehensive bill.

The Education Committee gave a favorable report to the Young Student Exclusion Ban Act, signaling continued support for this bill to address long-standing inequities and opportunity gaps in education. The early years of school are an essential time when children build their educational foundation and reading skills. Alongside our Chapter 222 School Discipline Coalition partners, we’ve been leading the charge on this initiative to keep Massachusetts’ youngest children in class where they are safe, supported, and available to learn.

The Education Committee also favorably reported out the School Interpreter Bill. Demonstrating the important intersection between language access and educational justice, this legislation would ensure families are provided with competent interpretation at school so limited English proficient parents can fully participate in and make informed decisions about their child’s education.

The Everyone Needs ID Bill received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Transportation, bringing us another step closer to removing barriers that prevent youth experiencing homelessness from obtaining state ID! With state ID necessary to accomplish a host of everyday tasks and access services, this bill can help break the cycle of poverty and upheaval that too many young people find themselves trapped in.

And in exciting news, two of our first-time bills also received favorable reports!

  • The passage of the CROWN Act back in 2022 banned race-based hair discrimination, helping prevent the criminalization of students of color. A bill we worked with Rep. Fluker Oakley and Sen. Gomez to file, which would ban suspension or expulsion for violations of rules relating to dress and grooming, received a favorable report. This legislation would build on the progress made by the CROWN Act, further disrupting the over-policing that Black and brown girls endure in school and ensuring Massachusetts classrooms are welcoming and inclusive spaces where all students can succeed.
  • Underage youth may be experiencing homelessness alone and unable to seek their parents’ consent on matters for a number of reasons, such as abuse or family conflict over sexual orientation and gender identity. H.192/S.94, filed by Rep. Khan and Sen. Gomez, recognizes this reality and would ensure those between the ages of 15 and 18 years old can provide consent for themselves to access supportive services and meet their immediate survival needs. 

The Delayed News

The following bills received deadline extensions, giving committees more time to consider them before they make their final decisions. It also gives us and our fellow advocates a chance to build more support, answer legislators’ questions, and convince lawmakers to report them favorably.  

Our 2022 report, “I Just Want to Learn,” highlighted how a lack of diversity among teaching staff can contribute to students of color feeling disconnected, uncomfortable, and fearful of judgement at school. H.549/S.311 would help increase racial and ethnic diversity among school staff, which research shows can lead to direct improvements in educational outcomes for Black and brown students. The deadline has been extended to Friday, March 15.

Good policy starts with good data, and H.454/S.249 would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to publish student-specific education data in a way that can be easily cross-tabulated. Critically, this would enable educators, advocates, parents, students, organizers, and policymakers to better identify disparities and inequitable treatment. The deadline has been extended to Friday, March 15.

The foster care-to-homelessness pipeline is well-established – as much as half of Massachusetts’ youth homelessness population is the result of young people emerging from the child welfare system without support. H.157/S.65 would help disrupt this phenomenon by prohibiting the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families from taking foster children’s Social Security benefits for the state’s General Fund, thereby providing youth with greater financial independence as they age out of the system. The deadline has been extended to Thursday, May 2.

The Bad News

Now for the disappointments. The following bills were “sent to study” – essentially ensuring no further action on them this session, but leaving the door open to refile them in future years.

An Act to Create Access to Justice aimed to fill a gap in existing civil rights law by recognizing that when policies have a discriminatory impact – intended or not – Massachusetts residents must be able to take legal action to enforce their rights. The potential impact of this bill is broad and would affect environmental injustices, lack of language access services, the school-to-prison pipeline, lack of sufficient special education services, inadequate prison conditions for certain populations, and more.

An Act Relative to the Location of School Resource Officers recognized the research showing that police presence has no positive effect on school safety and would have required school resource officers be stationed off school grounds. Read more about this issue on our blog.

What Now?

We know when we lay out an ambitious legislative agenda that not everything is going to make it across the finish line. Grappling with that disappointment is a big part of this work, especially when we’re fighting for commonsense policy changes that address serious needs in our communities.

For bills sent to study – we regroup with our coalition partners. Do we want to refile the bill? Make any changes? Do our legislative sponsors have any feedback from the State House side? We map out what we can do in the meantime, whether that’s conducting deeper policy research or mobilizing in more communities, so we’re ready to hit the ground running next session.

As for the bills that did make it through: We keep going! Getting past Joint Rule 10 Day is a moment to celebrate but until the legislation is on Governor Healey’s desk, ready to be signed, our work is not done. Join MA Appleseed’s mailing list and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram to stay updated on opportunities to take action in the coming months!

 

 

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Missing the Mark on School Safety: How City Officials’ Call for Law Enforcement in BPS Actually Harms Students

By Asia Foland

Contaminated rooms, unbearable class temperatures, and… metal detectors? Boston Public Schools are still working to meet students’ needs. Police are not going to help.

In June of 2022, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, former BPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius, chair of the Boston School Committee Jeri Robinson, and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeff Riley signed the “Systemic Improvement Plan” (SIP) targeting the district’s most urgent problems: among them late buses, failures to equitably serve students with disabilities, and deteriorating facilities.

Last month during a state education board meeting, DESE commissioner Riley called Boston’s progress on implementing this plan “incomplete” (2). He noted empty staff positions across the district, including leaders for the multilingual education office, a “coordinator of problem resolution” to address school safety and parent concerns, and senior staffers for special education (2,3).

More than half of Boston’s schools were built before World War II and since 2007, only four projects for new renovations and schools – out of three dozen – have been approved (1). And BPS has not yet renovated school bathroom facilities throughout the city, despite pledging to do so under the SIP (2). The consequences of this disrepair are well-known: oppressively hot classroom temperatures, crumbling walls and ceilings, and exposure to environmental contaminants.

And yet, amid BPS’s mounting public and legal obligations, how have certain Boston leaders responded?

With calls for police.

Though BPS removed police from schools in 2021, four Boston city councilors published a public letter this past January urging Mayor Wu to reinstate police and metal detectors in schools (4). In their letter, the city counselors — Erin Murphy, Michael Flaherty, Ed Flynn, and Frank Baker — declared the need for these security measures despite acknowledging the public’s “differing opinions” surrounding their use.

But this isn’t a matter of “differing opinions.” 

Visible and physical security measures in schools have been overwhelmingly discredited. According to a report by Citizens for Juvenile Justice, an analysis of 15 years of metal detectors in schools came up with “insufficient evidence that their use decreased crime or violence in schools,” instead finding “their presence made students feel less safe” (5).  

Yet in their letter, Boston City Councilors labeled metal detectors “non-invasive.” This is far from reality: for those forced to walk through them every morning before they can learn, metal detectors are invasive – physically and psychologically. And when we make our schools feel like prisons, our children feel less secure. 

Police presence also has no positive impact on school safety outcomes, according to a meta-analysis of 12 studies done by the WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center (6). Instead, Black and brown students are disproportionately targeted within their schools, specifically for low-level offenses that in no way require law enforcement (7). In a district where students of color make up 85% of student enrollment, placing police in schools would detrimentally diminish an encouraging learning environment.  

But there is another path Boston can take. Evidence-based approaches, centered around restorative justice and preventive measures, have been proven to reduce student arrests and foster a safe learning space. These include conflict resolution, personal reflection, community reconciliation, and more. And they’re not a new phenomenon: when Denver Public Schools implemented restorative practices in 2011, suspension rates decreased by 44% (8). 

These strategies would relieve our city councilors’ safety concerns by identifying the underlying causes of conflict instead of their visible outcomes. As Leon Smith, Executive Director of Citizens for Juvenile Justice, remarked, “It would be unfortunate to see Boston move in a regressive way, doubling down on approaches that research shows are not effective rather than shifting resources to approaches shown to both address student need and improve school safety and climate” (9).  

Fundamentally, not only does law enforcement ineffectively ensure school safety compared to restorative action, but it also fails to address the urgent dangers posed by Boston’s declining facilities. Police officers cannot protect students from exposure to asbestos or lead in the neglected buildings they patrol. Police officers cannot ventilate classrooms or keep them within tolerable temperatures. Students deserve real safety at school – not just the illusion of it. And with such blatant neglect on display, it would be outrageous to funnel crucial funding and resources toward failed law enforcement measures. 

To their credit, Boston has made recent progress in meeting their students’ needs. But that does not mean we cannot hold them accountable. This moment is crucial for Boston Public Schools, and we must be diligent. Using reactionary force does not ensure student safety in schools. And when the district is still struggling to serve all students, allocating time and resources toward ineffective discipline would only set them back. It’s time for Boston leaders to expand their definition of school safety and support investments that genuinely address our students’ needs.

 

Sources:

  1. Massachusetts spends thousands more on school construction aid for white students than for students of color, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/27/metro/massachusetts-school-construction-aid/
  2. One year into school improvement plan, state official grades Boston’s progress ‘incomplete’: https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/06/27/boston-school-improvement-plan-one-year-later-progress-update
  3. Another year, another incomplete grade for Boston Public Schools: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/06/opinion/boston-public-schools-jeff-riley-blistering-criticism/
  4. https://twitter.com/ErinforBoston/status/1611476972076507136
  5. Mowen, Thomas and Freng, Adrienne. “Is More Necessarily Better? School Security and Perceptions of Safety among Students and Parents in the United States”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7205221/
  6. Stern, A., & Petrosino, A. (2018). What do we know about the effects of school-based law enforcement on school safety? San Francisco, CA: WestEd. https://www.wested.org/ resources/effects-of-school-based-law-enforcement-on-school-safety
  7. Thurau, L. and Wald, J. Controlling Partners: When Law Enforcement Meets Discipline in Public Schools, 54 N.Y.L. Sch. L. Rev. 977 (2009-2010). https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/ nyls_law_review/vol54/iss4/5/ 
  8. Cregor, Matt and Damon T. Hewitt. “Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Survey from the Field.” (2011).
  9. Boston Public Schools quietly negotiating with city police to formalize relationship: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/16/metro/boston-public-schools-quietly-negotiating-with-city-police-formalize-relationship/

 

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Law Firm Goodwin Supports Racial and Gender Justice in Massachusetts Schools Through Donation to Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice

Media Contact: Madeline Poage,
madeline@massappleseed.org
617-482-8686

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 26, 2022

Boston, Dec. 26, 2022 – Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, a Boston-based research and advocacy nonprofit, announced it has received a $15,000 donation from global law firm Goodwin that will help expand its work to advance racial and gender justice in Massachusetts schools.

“Goodwin is a leader in the Boston legal community, and we are extraordinarily lucky to count the firm among Appleseed’s longtime partners,” said Deborah Silva, Executive Director of MA Appleseed. “This generous donation will provide critical support as we dismantle the policies and practices that harm girls of color caught in the intersection of racial and gender-based discrimination whose lives are disrupted by unjust school discipline. We are so grateful for Goodwin’s continued investment to help us move the needle on entrenched social justice problems.”

Racial disparities in education have long persisted, and COVID-19 left many students struggling with pandemic-related trauma and learning gaps. With the resulting surge in behavioral and mental health issues among students, concerns for school safety and subsequent calls for increased punitive discipline and policing have reemerged in the public discourse. MA Appleseed has joined fellow advocacy groups in condemning the use of harsh, exclusionary discipline and are instead pushing for solutions that center students’ health and well-being.

“Goodwin is thrilled to continue supporting MA Appleseed and its important mission,” said Alison Douglass, Goodwin partner. “As a member of MA Appleseed’s board, I have a front-row seat to their incredible work in the areas of social, racial and gender justice, and look forward to continuing our firm’s long-standing partnership with the organization.” 

This donation will help fund the expansion of MA Appleseed’s initiative to end the criminalization of girls of color, who face disproportionate levels of discipline that push them out of the classroom. Following the publication of their latest community-led report examining this issue, the organization has launched a multi-pronged advocacy campaign to create safe and affirming school cultures grounded in restorative practices where every student can succeed. The firm’s donation will also help MA Appleseed deepen its grassroots organizing power as the nonprofit continues to grow its community engagement capacity and expands its impact in Gateway Cities like Malden, Lawrence, and Lowell.

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About Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice

MA Appleseed is driven by a mission to promote equal rights and opportunities for Massachusetts residents by developing and advocating for systemic solutions to social justice issues. Through policy analysis and research, coalition building, education and training, community organizing, and advocacy, the nonprofit seeks systems-level change so all Massachusetts families and youth can exercise their legal rights, build pathways out of poverty and crisis, and thrive. Responding to emerging and enduring inequities, MA Appleseed addresses an array of complex issues including self-representation in the civil justice system, language access for immigrant families, the school-to-prison pipeline, and youth homelessness. To explore recent research, find resources, sign up for opportunities to take action, or donate, please visit massappleseed.org.

About Goodwin

We are in the business of building authentic, long-term relationships with our clients, who are some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors at the convergence of and within the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries. Our immersive understanding of these industries — combined with our expertise across high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions — sets us apart. At Goodwin, we are committed to building a more diverse and inclusive community. Learn more about our Diversity, Equity + Inclusion efforts.

 

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MA Appleseed Statement on Continued Discriminatory Treatment at Malden Charter School

According to current news reports, a staff member of the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden recently cited an eighth-grader for wearing a hijab, which was deemed a “uniform infraction.”

Deborah Silva, Executive Director of Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, released the following statement:

“Policies like this harm students – there’s simply no other way to put it. Students cannot be expected to succeed if parts of their identity are judged and punished every time they enter the classroom, and the damage this has on students’ mental health, confidence, and emotional well-being can be severe. Dress codes are rarely neutral policies, perpetuating racist, misogynistic, and homophobic norms. Their enforcement feels especially inappropriate in schools where students are learning how to express themselves and discovering who they want to be.”

“Just a few years ago, the school’s harsh discipline of the Cook sisters for wearing their hair in braids with extensions motivated lawmakers to pass legislation banning hairstyle discrimination. To see yet another student endure this kind of over-policing just weeks after the CROWN Act was signed into law shows that Massachusetts still has a long way to go towards making sure our classrooms are welcoming and inclusive spaces for all.”

Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice published its latest community-led report, “I Just Want to Learn”: Girls of Color and the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Massachusetts, in July 2022. The report explores stories from girls of color about the impact of exclusionary discipline on their lives and touches on the role dress codes play in fueling racial and gender-based disparities.

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Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice is a nonprofit driven by a mission to promote equal rights and opportunities for Massachusetts residents by developing and advocating for systemic solutions to social justice issues. Through policy research, community collaboration, and statewide advocacy, the organization seeks systems-level change so all Massachusetts families and youth can exercise their legal rights, build pathways out of poverty and crisis, and thrive.

 

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Onto The Senate! Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity in The State Budget

 

In April, you joined us in calling on the House to prioritize equity, justice, and opportunity in the Massachusetts state budget, especially for those who have been hit hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re so thankful to everyone who took action, sending more than 100 letters to representatives across the Commonwealth! This was an extraordinary show of support, but we can’t back down.

The budget is now in the hands of the Senate and with debates right around the corner, we need you to raise your voice once again and join us to expand language access, create safe and supportive school environments, and increase support for youth experiencing homelessness. Find more details below and take action today!

 

Amendment #139 (Sen. DiDomenico) would provide $8 million to improve the capacity of our public-facing state agencies to meet the critical language access needs of our Commonwealth’s increasingly diverse population.

Massachusetts is one of the most linguistically diverse states in the country, with nearly 1 in 10 residents estimated to be limited English proficient. But the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the inability of state agencies to provide desperately needed information and services in languages other than English. It is urgent that limited English proficient residents have equal access to public health information, education, unemployment assistance, healthcare, housing, and other crucial services. 

 

Amendments #645 and #646 (Sen. Chandler) would support public schools and school districts in transitioning to safety models that do not rely on stationing police in schools. Research has shown that while having police in schools does not improve school safety (particularly with respect to preventing school shootings), police presence in schools has been tied to greater numbers of suspensions, lower graduation rates, and lower college enrollment rates, as well as contributing to the criminalization of Black and Latinx students.

Amendment #673 (Sen. DiDomenico) would increase funding for safe and supportive schools, helping expand and improve strategies and tools so all students are empowered to succeed in school.

Amendment #824 (Sen. Crighton) would ensure limited English proficient parents and students are provided with competent interpretation services at school, helping protect the civil rights of limited English proficient parents and enabling them to fully participate in their child’s education

Together, these amendments will help disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, address disparities in education, and create safe, welcoming, and supportive school environments for all students.

In the wake of the many disruptions and traumas students have endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure they are set up for success and able to thrive in school is essential. Please send a message to your State Senator urging them to co-sponsor budget amendments #645, #646, #673, and #824!

TAKE ACTION

 

Amendment #475 (Sen. Chang-Díaz) would increase funding for the budget line item “Housing and Supportive Services for Unaccompanied Youth” (4000-0007) from $8.5 million to $10 million.

It is impossible to ignore the lifetime toll homelessness can have on young people, increasing their risk of poor health outcomes, exposure to violence, susceptibility to exploitation, and dropping out of school. Challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic have only increased the scale of need across the state, while the availability of services has a direct correlation to the number of youth experiencing homelessness advocates are able to identify and help

This increased investment in supportive services for our most vulnerable youth is vital to help create a sustained and effective response to end youth homelessness. Please reach out to your State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor and actively support Sen. Chang-Díaz’s budget amendment #475!

Keep informed & stay involved!

Stay tuned for more opportunities to take action and support Massachusetts families and youth by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram! Check out our website for our most recent publications and action alerts.

To support our work, please consider giving a donation today.

Thank you for advancing social justice in Massachusetts!

 

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Equity, Justice, and Opportunity Must be Prioritized in Massachusetts’ State Budget!

 

The state budget is a reflection of our values and an opportunity to secure essential funding for services across the Commonwealth. As our communities work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the budget prioritizes equity, justice, and opportunity for those who have been hit hardest is more urgent than ever.

The Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means recently released its FY23 budget proposal. MA Appleseed is supporting several budget amendments that would expand language access, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, and increase support for youth experiencing homelessness. And with the full House scheduled to debate soon, we need you to raise your voice. Learn more and take action below!

 

Amendment #1381 (Rep. Cabral) would provide $8 million to improve the capacity of our public-facing state agencies to meet the critical language access needs of our Commonwealth’s increasingly diverse population.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the inability of state agencies to provide desperately needed information and services in languages other than English. As one of the most linguistically diverse states in the country, we must ensure that limited English proficient residents have equal access to public health information, education, unemployment assistance, healthcare, housing, and other crucial services. 

 

Amendments #1133 and #1138 (Rep. Uyterhoeven) would utilize existing funds in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education budget to provide targeted interventions (#1133) and school supports (#1138) to reduce the use of suspensions among students in pre-K through 3rd grade.

Amendment #1321 (Rep. Khan) would create a $600,000 grant program, administered by the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to support public schools and school districts in transitioning to safety models that do not rely on stationing police in schools.

Both excluding students from the classroom at an early age and maintaining a police presence in schools have been shown to lead to worse educational outcomes, especially for Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and students who are economically disadvantaged. Together, these amendments will help disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and keep students in class where they are safe, supported, and available for learning.

It’s time to end the over-policing and criminalization of students of color and ensure all students have the care and support in school they need to thrive. Please send a message to your State Representative urging them to co-sponsor Rep. Uyterhoeven’s budget amendments #1133 and #1138 and Rep. Khan’s budget amendment #1321!

TAKE ACTION

 

Amendment #494 (Rep. O’Day) would increase funding for the budget line item “Housing and Services for Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness” (4000-0007) from $8.5 million to $10 million. When young people experience homelessness, they are at a greater risk of poor health outcomes, exposure to violence, susceptibility to exploitation, and dropping out of school. This increased investment in supportive services for our most vulnerable youth is vital to match the scale of need across the state and help create a sustained and effective response to end youth homelessness

Keep informed & stay involved!

Stay tuned for more opportunities to take action and support Massachusetts families and youth by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram! Check out our website for our most recent publications and action alerts.

To support our work, please consider giving a donation today.

Thank you for advancing social justice in Massachusetts!

 

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Recruitment Is Open: Seeking Student Participants for a New School Discipline Study

 

Last year, we published a collaborative, data-driven report which found that Black girls in Massachusetts schools are nearly 4 times more likely to be disciplined than their white counterparts.

Now, we’ve brought together a Community Advisory Board – made up of students, educators, advocates, and organizations from around the state – to conduct a new study that will explore the stories behind these statistics, dig deeper into disciplinary disparities, and amplify how we can change current discipline practices to build school environments where all students are safe and supported.

We want to hear from girls of color about their experiences with discipline in Massachusetts schools, and recruitment to participate in this community-led study is OPEN.

We encourage female-identifying students of color who have experienced suspension, expulsion, or a school-related arrest to take this brief survey to see if you qualify to be a part of this research study. 

Learn More About The Study
Take The Survey Now

Girls who participate in the study will be compensated and receive $25/hour.

Please share this opportunity with your networks, and reach out to Melanie Rush, Research and Policy Associate, at melanie@massappleseed.org if you have any questions.

 

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Take Action: Ask Your Legislators to Support The Young Student Exclusion Ban Act!

 

The Massachusetts Legislature is preparing to break for the holidays soon. But before that happens, we have an exciting opportunity to move the Young Student Exclusion Ban Act forward and eliminate harsh disciplinary policies that fuel the school-to-prison pipeline.

This bill is scheduled for a legislative hearing next week – which means we have just a few days to consolidate as much support behind it as we can. Contact your legislators and tell them: our youngest children belong in class where they are safe, supported, and available for learning.

The Young Student Exclusion Ban Act (H.3876) aims to improve educational outcomes by replacing the use of exclusionary discipline in response to minor offenses by students in pre-K through 3rd grade with effective, alternative approaches like restorative practices, mediation, and other forms of conflict resolution. As young students return to school from traumatic experiences brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to ensure they remain in the classroom where they can get back on track.

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Excluding students from the classroom at an early age makes it increasingly likely they will experience expulsion or suspension in later grades, contributing to poor academic performance, failure to graduate on time, or even dropping out altogether. 

And with Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and students who are economically disadvantaged disproportionately more likely to experience exclusionary discipline at an early age, the Young Student Exclusion Ban Act will help address long-standing inequities and opportunity gaps in education.

We need to make sure this bill has strong support heading into next week’s hearing, but that can only happen with your help. Please take this one-minute action today and urge your legislators to support the Young Student Exclusion Ban Act!

 

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Thank you for advancing social justice in Massachusetts!

 

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