Wayland Superintendent of Schools David Fleishman outlined the history of federal education funding and answered questions about funding cuts, social media, diversity and updating Wayland’s cell phone policy at the League of Women Voters meeting on May 29.
Fleischman said that it’s too early to know if federal government cuts will impact Wayland’s education budget. Currently, local schools receive 90% of their funding from the state and local governments, and for the most part, the state Department of Education provides funds for diversity and disability programs, he explained.
Although legislation set up a block grant for education, the allocations for the block grants will not be made until July 1. However, historically, when specific programs are block-granted, the deal between the federal government and states is that the government will provide less funding in return for less regulation and fewer requirements.
To help the audience understand how a possible dissolution of the Department of Education could impact local funding, Fleishman, a former history teacher, narrated the history of the federal government’s role in education. The federal government did not provide funds to schools until the 1950s, when it decided to ease the burden on communities affected by the presence of military and other federal installations by making payments to school districts. The National Defense Education Act increased funding in math and science which was driven by public and political interest with the launch of Sputnik in 1957. However, the focus changed in 1960s and 1970s with the civil rights movement and the introduction of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Titles I and II were introduced in 1965. Title I provided funding to schools with high concentrations of low-income students to help them meet academic standards, while Title II’s goal was increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts, improve teacher and principal quality through professional development and other activities, and providing low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers and principals.
In 1975, the federal government mandated equal education for children with disabilities. Until 1979, the administration of these laws fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. President Jimmy Carter signed a law that split up HEW by creating the Department of Education. This was due to a campaign promise to the Teachers Association and his belief in ensuring equal access to education for all students regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, or sex. He also sought to improve the quality of education by providing federal support to state and local initiatives.
The Department of Education’s current responsibilities include administering federal financial aid for education, collecting and disseminating data on education, focusing national attention on key educational issues, and preventing discrimination in schools while ensuring equal access to education.
Since the Department of Education is responsible for disbursing funds focusing on equal education for the disadvantaged and disabled, grants for those programs could be impacted. The impact could be greater for the red states which receive substantial benefits through various grant programs, particularly Title I funding, Fleishman said. Red states tend to have a higher percentage of students in this category compared to blue states. Additionally, red states may benefit from funding for special education programs and school improvement efforts.
Fleishman also talked about U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s announcement that the Department of Education will increase Fleishman also talked about U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s announcement that the Department of Education will increase the Charter Schools Program funding by $60 million in the 2025-26 school year, raising the program’s total budget to $500 million, but he did not elaborate how this will impact the Wayland Public Schools. State officials expressed concerns about the potential for this funding to be diverted from local schools, although the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to continue to reimburse charter schools for their tuition. The specific impact on Wayland will depend on the number of students choosing charter schools, the state’s funding formula, and the local district’s budget allocation.
Prop 2½ Override Looming?
According to Fleishman, there will probably need to be an override in a few years. Teacher contracts are up for renewal next year, and the School Committee and school administrators are also working on a capital funding project: a master facility plan for the schools. With the exception of the high school, he said school facilities have been neglected. Many buildings have not been touched since the 1960s. However, despite a declining population of school-age children in other districts, there hasn’t been a significant decline in Wayland, he said. There are 60 teachers children who attend the Wayland Public Schools.
Wayland will be implementing a new cell phone policy in September (see story on page 4). Younger students will have to turn in their phones to teachers or advisors at the beginning of the school day and pick them up at the end of the day, while high school students must turn in their phones at the beginning and end of each class. Fleischman admitted this will reduce classwork time a bit, but teachers will try to minimize that by taking attendance while collecting phones at the high school and splitting up the collection and distribution of phones with advisors at the middle school. He felt that the inconvenience was offset by the benefit of minimizing distractions in the classroom.
The Problem of Social Media
Fleishman agreed that social media is putting a lot of pressure on students and is the source of some disturbing behavior. But whose responsibility is it to keep children away from hateful messages on the internet — the schools or parents? The schools talk about diversity and empathy, but the responsibility to educate children about acceptance and respecting differences does not lie totally with the schools.
For example, he said teachers can take phones away at school, but the parents are not taking them away at home. He encourages parents to be direct and talk to kids when disrespectful statements are made or improper behavior occurs such as the swastika incidents. “There needs to be a protocol for accountability, learning and healing,” he said.
It’s too early to determine the use of AI in the classroom, according to Fleishman. Teachers are experimenting with its use but are also seeking ways to prevent students from passing off assignments completed by AI. Some teachers make students put their computers away and complete writing assignments with pencil and paper in the classroom while others are using it as a tool to brainstorm ideas.
