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Date: 5/14/2019
CHICOPEE – The future of public education, both K-12 and after-high school programs, was among the topics discussed by a panel of four of the seven legislators who represent Chicopee.
The forum was sponsored by the city’s Democratic City Committee and presented at The Elms College on May 13.
Moderated by the new chair of the committee, Meghan Balakier, the forum consisted by state Reps. Joseph Wagner and Michael Finn and state Sens. Eric Lesser and James Welch. Members of the audience supplied questions.
The legislators agreed that public education and how to pay for it is one of the primary questions facing them in the Legislature this year.
In terms of affording higher education, Welch said, “We continue to hear constantly from families … the price of education is completely out of whack.”
Welch believes that students and their families should receive counseling about the impact of student debt before considering their next move after high school.
He also believes institutions of higher education must be made “accountable for that they are selling.”
Lesser noted the cost and effect of higher education is “a very important question” and said in the Commonwealth there are 800,000 people with pending student loans – quite a high figure considering the population of the state is six million, he added.
He views student loans as a “tax on our economy” and made the following observations:
• The Commonwealth is investing less in public colleges.
• There are out of control costs at these schools.
• Four–year colleges are not necessarily for everyone.
• The Commonwealth should extend vocational education and certificate programs that quality people for good-paying jobs.
Lesser admitted the issue is money for both education and for repairing Massachusetts’s infrastructure and this is an issue for the current session of the Legislature.
“We know it’s going to be a deep dive,” he added.
Finn said, “Traditional college path is not for everybody … we have to get away from this idea you need college to be successful.”
He said there are four different education bills facing the legislature and while all share certain points, all have differences.
Lesser said that re-writing the Commonwealth’s education legislation is a “once in a generation moment.” The laws were last written in 1993.
Among the topics to be covered include:
• The cost of employees’ health insurance
• Looking at out-of-district costs for special education
• New and more effective ways to assist English Language Learners
• Closing the achievement gap
Finn used the West Springfield school as an example of the challenges facing school districts. In West Springfield there are 35 languages spoken by its students.
Speaking of pending legislation and the needs of the region, Wagner the thrust is “jobs and the pathway to jobs.”
Wagner then spoke of his recent meeting concerning Greentown learn – see the story on page 10.
Lesser said, “We’re in complete agreement: we need jobs.”
Lesser added that transportation improvements have worked to increase economic development in communities such as Worcester and Portland, ME.
Welch noted a healthcare problem in Western Massachusetts revolving around a lack of general care physicians, an issue in many parts of the country. He spoke of a program designed to bring doctors to the area to finish education with the hopes they will stay after completion.
Finn said he sees an opportunity to embrace “green collar” jobs in the growing alterative energy field.
Wagner, who is serving as the Assistant Majority leader in the House, said that Chicopee is represented in Boston by seven people – the others are state Sen. Don Humason and state reps. Thomas Petrolati and Jose Tosado – which he sees as an advantage for the city.
“I think it’s great. It’s a deep pool,” he said.