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Key Links

 NR Public Schools
 NR Town Web Site
 Stand for Children
 Rep. Brad Jones
 Dept. of Education
 Dept. of Revenue
 Governor Deval Patrick

Read Brad Jones' most recent newsletter to learn what is going on at the statehouse.








Join the North Reading Chapter of
Stand for Children Today!


Your membership means North Reading representatives have a seat at Stand's leadership table in advocating for education at the state level. Just click here to join or renew your membership. Without at least 30 members, we may lose our ability to help lead the charge in reaching out to our legislators and Governor Patrick, so they know what students in communities like North Reading need.

Stand's advocacy through members from North Reading and other towns this year made a huge difference for Massachusetts' students:
  • Members rallied at the State House, delivered 7,500 postcards to legislators and collected 3,500 petition signatures. (But if you don't have time to rally, it's OKAY! Your membership alone makes a huge difference to our students.)


  • Legislators heard you and delivered $880 million in new broad based revenues and provided local revenue options to communities.


Massachusetts children urgently need you to stand up for them. Your membership helps support advocacy for innovative programs that put a great teacher in every classroom and increase the time that students spend learning. Your membership will help to deliver sustainable revenue solutions to fund education and innovative reforms to help close the achievement gap. Please renew today to strengthen the voice for children in your community and across the Commonwealth!
To learn more details about state funding and how it affects local school districts, click here to visit the Stand for Children website.

North Reading Stand for Children Members Hit the Road for Education Advocacy
North Reading education advocates joined forces with hundreds of education supporters recently for Stand for Children's Rally on Beacon Hill. After hearing about the state of education in Massachusetts from several experts and state leaders, advocates delivered more than 7,500 postcards to Massachusetts legislators urging fair funding for education for all students in the Commonwealth.

Attendees from North Reading had the opportunity to meet with Rep. Brad Jones after the rally (see photo).



On Monday, March 30, 2009, three North Reading members of Stand joined their counterparts from Gloucester and Hamilton-Wenham to meet with State Sen. Bruce Tarr in Gloucester. At this meeting, Sen. Tarr heard directly the key concerns for education funding BEFORE the senate developed its budget later this spring. While Stand and NRUE do not feel the budget passed ultimately did enough for local education funding, we believe it is critical to stay in front of our legislators to let them know that education funding is a priority in North Reading.

Stand for Children and North Reading Advocate Together for Education
North Reading Joins Stand Leadership Team
In recognition of local Stand members strong and ongoing advocacy for state support of public education, Stand for Children has invited North Reading to be part of its Massachusetts Leadership Network (MLN). The MLN is made up of local Stand leaders, Stand staff members, and others with expertise in formulating platforms and direction that will yield success when lobbying for education funding at the state level. North Reading residents Jayne Swart and Deanna Castro will represent North Reading at the monthly MLN meetings, held at Stand's Waltham office.
NR Public Schools are a good bang for the buck!

NR lags its peer group by rating at the bottom or near the bottom in per pupil spending in five categories including overall per pupil spending, teacher salaries, administration, operations and maintenance, and insurance and retirement. (Click here) for additional charts and full text.

North Reading Lags Peers in Education Spending

Report Cites Greater Fiscal Challenges Ahead

Friday, February 08, 2008

A variety of factors at both the state and local level is placing ever greater pressure on the finances of most cities and towns, with little relief in sight, according to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation’s 37th annual analysis of local revenues and spending.

Citing the state’s fiscal problems, the report, released on Jan. 10, concludes that cities and towns are likely to see only small increases in local aid for the next several years. State aid, meanwhile, has not yet returned to 2001 levels, when adjusted for inflation.

Click (here) for entire document

Board of Selectmen Does Not Restore Full School Funding
But Approves Override for May Ballot (3/14/08)

Click (here) for entire document

Massachusetts Dept. of Education 2007 Per Pupil Expenditure Chart click here to view chart

The Boston Globe's Override Central: Towns wrestle with Prop 2 ˝. 

Boston Globe "City & Region, Jan. 23": School Districts Strained as State Funds Fall Short: 

© 2008 North Reading United for Education, All Rights Reserved.