Chapter 70 Program

The Chapter 70 program is the major program of state aid to public elementary and secondary schools. In addition to providing state aid to support school operations, it also establishes minimum spending requirements for each school district and minimum requirements for each municipality's share of school costs.

1. Legislation

2. Regulations

3. Chapter 70 State Aid and Spending Requirement

   • FY09 Chapter 70 Aid and Net School Spending Requirements (07/14/08)

   • FY08 Chapter 70 Aid and Net School Spending Requirements (07/12/07)

   • FY07 Chapter 70 Aid and Net School Spending Requirements (07/08/06)

   • FY97 to FY06 Chapter 70 state aid and spending requirements

   • How the foundation budget is calculated:   (03/08/08)

4. Compliance With Net School Spending Requirements

5. Chapter 70 district profiles

   The on-line Chapter 70 database shows, for each school district, yearly spending and state aid totals in comparison to the foundation budget. Data is shown from FY97 through the current year.

6. Materials on Proposed Changes to Chapter 70

   • Aggregate Wealth Model Workbook (6/2005)

   • DOE Proposals on Local and State Funding for Public Schools (4/2005)

   • Hancock v. Driscoll -- Hancock v Driscoll - final decision of the Supreme Judicial Court:    (2/2005)

   • Hancock v Driscoll report of Judge Margot Botsford (4/2004)

   • Report of the Legislative Working Group on Chapter 70 (December 2003)

   • Proposed Amendments to School Finance Statute (Chapter 70) - (10/23/2002)

   • How Accurately Does the Foundation Budget Reflect Spending and Staffing Levels in Rural Regional School Districts? (6/28/2002)

   • Report of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, June 2001 (6/2001)

   • A & F Policy Report: Fairness in School Funding -- Reformulating Local Aid for Phase Two of Education Reform:   (April 2001)

   • House Ways and Means Proposed Chapter 70 Reforms (4/18/2001)

   • Governor's Proposed Chapter 70 Reforms (1/26/2001)

   • Economic Analysis of the "Wage Factor" Concept (2001)

   • Summary of Board of Education's Forum (12/7/99)

   • Proposed Changes to Chapter 70 (10/19/1999)

   • Background Discussion Paper -- Technical Issues Related to the Reauthorization of the Chapter 70 Formula (8/24/1998)

7. Foundation Reserve Aid 

   • FY09 Foundation Reserve Notice and Instructions (7/18/2008)

   •    FY09 Foundation Reserve Application (7/18/2008)

   • Announcement of FY08 Foundation Reserve Awards (7/21/2007)

   • Announcement of FY07 Foundation Reserve Awards (10/05/2006)

   • FY06 Foundation Reserve Program - Announcement of Round 2 Awards (11/28/2005)

   • FY06 Foundation Reserve (Pothole) Program -- Announcement of Round 1 Awards and Application Instructions for Round 2 (10/05/2005)

   • FY05 Foundation Reserve Award (8/29/2005)

   • FY04 Foundation Reserve Award

8. Professional Development

   • Report on Professional Development Spending in Massachusetts Public Schools, FY2006  

   • Report on Professional Development Spending in Massachusetts Public Schools, FY03-FY05  

   • Report on Professional Development Spending in Massachusetts Public Schools, FY02-FY04  

   • Professional Development Spending in Massachusetts Public School Districts (5/14/2003) Download containing related tables

9. Foundation Enrollment

   •    How foundation enrollment is calculated: