An Act relative to the Foundation Budget Review Commission

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Brad Jones and 1 co-sponsor

Expands FBRC's scope to cover enrollment declines, SEL/mental health, special education, and local funding methods, requires 3 public hearings and a final report by Sept 30, 2026

Referred to the committee on Education

Purpose

This bill directs updates to the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC) established under Chapter 70, Section 4 of the Massachusetts General Laws. It expands the Commission’s scope, tightens a timeline for convening and reporting, and enhances public engagement. The overall goal is to reassess the Foundation Budget and related local funding contributions in light of current educational costs and demographic trends.

Key Provisions and Changes

Timeline for convening and reporting

The FBRC must convene not later than January 2, 2026.
The Commission must file a final report with legislative recommendations no later than September 30, 2026.

Expanded scope of review
In addition to items already identified in Chapter 70, Section 4, the FBRC shall consider:

Challenges faced by school districts with declining enrollment.
Increased costs associated with social-emotional learning (SEL) and student mental health.
Costs related to special education.
The methodology used to calculate required local contributions by municipalities.

Public hearings

The FBRC must conduct no fewer than 3 public hearings across geographically diverse locations in the Commonwealth.
Hearings must allow for remote (electronic) participation.

Reporting and dissemination

The final report must be submitted to the clerks of the House and Senate, the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Executive Office of Education.
Interim reports may be filed from time to time in the same manner.

Who is Affected

Educational funding policy: Changes to the FBRC’s scope and reporting could influence recommendations on the Foundation Budget and, ultimately, Massachusetts K-12 funding allocations and local contribution requirements.

School districts: Districts experiencing declining enrollment or facing higher SEL/mental health and special education costs could see attention in the FBRC’s analyses and any resulting legislative proposals.

Public stakeholders: Families, educators, administrators, and local officials have enhanced opportunity to participate in hearings and provide input.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Status: Referred to the Committee on Education (as of the provided status) with prior concurrent referral to Rules.

Legislative actions noted: Rules suspension and referrals occurred in early 2025, with the Education Committee as the next step after the stated timeline.

Interim reports: Possible during the interim period, allowing ongoing visibility into FBRC work prior to the final report.

Bottom Line

SD 2619 formalizes a more expansive, timely, and publicly accessible review of Massachusetts’ Foundation Budget, addressing enrollment shifts, mental health and SEL costs, special education, and local funding methodologies, with a mandate for multiple public hearings and a comprehensive report by September 30, 2026.

Bill