We are excited to announce that Governor Maura Healey has appointed Amy O’Leary, the executive director of Strategies for Children, to the Foundation Budget Review Commission, which reviews the state’s public school funding formula.
As a state press release explains, “The fiscal year 2027 budget reconvenes this Commission to review the Chapter 70 formula and strengthen Pre-K-12 school financing.”
Healey has also appointed Kristin Smidy, an educator from Western Massachusetts to the commission.
“Since taking office,” Healey says in the release, “we’ve doubled K-12 funding and significantly increased rural school, transportation, and special education funding. Now, we’re taking a fresh look at the school funding formula to make sure it is meeting the needs of students and communities today.
“Kristen Smidy understands firsthand the challenges facing schools in Western Massachusetts, and Amy O’Leary has spent her career expanding opportunities for our youngest learners. Their experience will be invaluable as we work to make sure every student in Massachusetts has access to a great education.”
O’Leary comes to the commission with decades of experience in early education. She started out as a preschool teacher, became a preschool director, and today she is a devoted Red Sox fan and a self-described “Advocate and policy wonk who believes that early educators can change the world.”
As a new commission member, O’Leary is excited about all the ways that Massachusetts can invest in children.
“I’m grateful to Governor Healey and honored to serve on the Foundation Budget Review Commission and contribute to a conversation that is fundamental to the future of education in Massachusetts,” she says.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s continued focus on innovative ways of breaking down silos and strengthening connections and partnerships across the education continuum will ensure that our approach to education funding reflects the real costs of providing high-quality learning and support for children, families, educators, and schools.
“I look forward to bringing an early childhood perspective and my experience to this work and to collaborating with colleagues across education, government, business, and local communities to ensure that the foundation budget reflects what it truly takes to provide every child with the opportunity to thrive—from the earliest years through graduation.”