An Act to expand the Massachusetts School Building Authority and create a new program to assist public school districts with 21st century technology upgrades

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bruce Ayers

Creates MSBA technology upgrade program, awarding partial grants by need and urgency to fund 21st-century tech in public districts, while preserving existing capital funding.

Purpose and intent

To expand the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) role to explicitly include funding for public school technology upgrades.

To establish a new technology upgrade program that provides partial funding to support 21st century technology needs in public school districts across Massachusetts.

To ensure ongoing support for existing MSBA capital programs by preserving baseline funding levels.

Key provisions

Amendment to Chapter 70B, Section 21: The bill adds a new section creating the MSBA technology upgrade program.

Program purpose: A competitive grant program designed to fund school technology upgrades throughout the Commonwealth.

Grant distribution: Grants would be awarded by the MSBA on the basis of need and urgency. This implies prioritization for districts with the most pressing technology needs.

Funding preservation: The MSBA must maintain funding for all capital programs that exist as of January 1, 2025, at an amount equal to or greater than the funding for those programs in fiscal year 2025.

Nature of funding: Grants under the technology upgrade program are described as partial funding (not necessarily covering the full cost of upgrades).

Who would be affected

Public school districts across Massachusetts, particularly those with urgent or underserved technology needs (e.g., devices, connectivity, cybersecurity, networking infrastructure, and related digital learning tools).

MSBA as the administrator and grantmaker for the technology upgrade program, alongside its existing capital program responsibilities.

Students and staff in districts receiving technology upgrades, who would benefit from improved digital infrastructure and resources.

Funding, implementation, and timeline

Funding source and scope: The program would be funded through the MSBA, with a requirement to preserve or exceed the FY 2025 funding level for all existing MSBA capital programs as of January 1, 2025.

Implementation guidance: The bill establishes the program and criteria (need and urgency) but does not specify application timelines, scoring rubrics, or reporting requirements; those would be determined by MSBA regulations and annual appropriations.

Legislative status: The bill was filed in January 2025 as House Bill 512 (HD 2162) by Rep. Bruce J. Ayers. It builds on similar proposals previously filed in the 2023-2024 session (House No. 431).

Context and notes

The proposed act aims to complement already-existing capital programs by adding a technology-focused funding stream.

It explicitly notes a competitive, need-based approach and emphasizes maintaining current capital program funding levels, signaling a commitment to not diminish other MSBA initiatives.

No specific dollar amounts, grant caps, or detailed eligibility criteria are provided in the text available. Implementation details would likely appear in regulatory guidelines and future amendments if the bill advances.

Bill