Senate Minority Leader Richard R. Tisei issued the following statement regarding today’s Senate vote on education reform legislation:I support this bill and its objectives of raising academic standards, promoting quality teaching, and improving failing schools. It’s just unfortunate that it took the dangling of a $250 million federal grant incentive and the threat of a ballot question to finally get the governor and the Legislature to act.
I see this not as the end, but rather the beginning of a process that will improve our education system and prepare our students for the challenges of the next decade. When all is said and done, this bill will only work if we have the leadership in place to ensure that we can turn around our failing schools and expand charter school opportunities for children across the state.
This is only the first step. We still need to look at implementing other significant reforms that will make real and lasting changes in our classrooms, and will help us transform our underperforming schools into performing schools. Every child in Massachusetts deserves a quality education, and we must do everything we can to see that they get one.
