LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS FORMED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION

Representative Sean Garballey announcing the formation of the public higher education caucus at the Massachusetts State House on March 8

  

Massachusetts known as an educational leader nationally, lags in support for public higher education.  An editorial in the Springfield, Massachusetts Republican (http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/03/editorial_massachusetts_state.html) sums up the condition of state support for the Commonwealth’s public colleges:

“In the fiscal year that ended on June 30, Massachusetts was ranked 46th in per-capita appropriation for public higher education, according to recent statistics. Other statistics show that tuition and fees are 33 percent higher than the national average for four-year institutions and 49 percent for a two-year community college.”

The new public higher education caucus hopes to move Massachusetts closer to the funding support of other states.