Patrick Unveils Education Reorganization Plan
 |
| Dana Mohler-Faria, the governor's education adviser |
Patrick's preference for a secretary of education - a position twice eliminated over the past few decades - has long been known. Dana Mohler-Faria, president of Bridgewater State College and Patrick's education adviser, has been considered the favorite for the job.
The education reform act, filed in the Legislature today under Article 87 of the state Constitution, would reorganize the education system by bringing three education boards covering early education through higher education under the control of an education secretary. The secretary would have a voting seat andapproval over each board's commissioners, budgets and capital plans and have a voting seat on the University of Massachusetts board of trustees.
"There is no greater gateway to opportunity and success than a first-rate education. This reorganization, along with the work of the Readiness Project will guide us through the next phase of education reform to ensure all of our children are ready to compete in the global economy," said Patrick in a statement. "A cabinet-level secretary of education will help us move forward."
Patrick was expected to provide details of the plan this morning at a breakfast meeting with business and civic leaders the Omni Parker House in Boston, according to The Boston Globe.
The governor set up two task forces, one for higher education and the other for Grades K-12, in March to make recommendations on education reform. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President Mary K. Grant was appointed to the higher education panel.
The reorganization has to be voted up or down within 60 days; lawmakers are reportedly onboard with the plans.
The task forces and the Legislature have been working closely together, state Rep. Patricia Haddad, chairman of the Joint Education Committee, told The Globe on Wednesday. "I see the coordination from birth right on up as a plus of this new system."
Patrick the reform would better coordinate education policy and create a seamless transition for students across the state's education system.
House Speaker Salvatore Dimasi agreed. "I am hopeful that the creation of an education secretary will help better coordinate our efforts to promote greater educational achievement in the commonwealth and encourage more cohesion and increased accountability in the system."
The reform won't affect hiring of a new state education commissioner to replace David P. Driscoll, who retired last August. The Board of Education finished interviewing three finalists this week and is expected to make a decision next week.
Education Reform Plan:
Creates Executive Office of Education supervising three boards:
- Early Education and Care (existing)
- Elementary and Secondary Education (new name for the existing Department of Education)
- Higher Education (new department that will include personnel now staffing the Board of Higher Education)
- Approval authority over the boards' hiring of each of the three commissioners
- A voting seat on the UMass board as well as on the three education boards
- Approval of mission statements and five-year master plans, both at the departmental level and, within higher education, at the institutional level
- Approval of budget and capital outlay requests at the departmental and institutional levels
- Expands seats on each board by two
- Installs the secretary as a voting member on each board
- Staggers the board terms so that there are a fixed number of appointments that come up each year
- Removes the peer commissioners from each board
- Other existing powers of the boards remain unchanged
- Provides governor with authority to appoint the chair of the UMass board
