Western Mass. Students Hold School Funding Advocacy Day in Boston

BOSTON — On March 5, Western Mass. students traveled to Beacon Hill to speak with elected officials about public education funding. The trip was co-organized by the Northampton High School Student Union and the Northampton Youth Commission. Twenty-nine of the students were from Northampton High School, and were joined by three additional Gateway Regional High School students.

“Our goal was to communicate the reality of our schools’ struggles to legislators making decisions for fiscal year 2027, along with the urgency that needs to be taken to restructure Chapter 70, our state’s current funding formula,” said Zara Usman, president of the Northampton High School Student Union. “Chapter 70 disproportionately underfunds schools like ours in Western Massachusetts, contributing to the inability year after year to keep up with increasing costs.”

In addition to speaking with a number of legislative officers, the students met with Gov. Maura Healey about the topic of education funding and equity. They also discussed recent efforts announced by the governor to protect Massachusetts communities and youth from ICE, as well as the Vote16 movement in Massachusetts. Others joining the meeting included state Sen. Jo Comerford, state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, and Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra.

“I am so appreciative of all who made this day possible,” said Amelia Durbin, chair of the Northampton Youth Commission. “As students, we are extremely grateful for the governor’s time and willingness to listen to our experiences, as well as her thoughtful responses to our concerns and questions. We look forward to the work the Commonwealth will continue to do to support students and school districts across Massachusetts.”

The Northampton High School Student Union is an elected body of 16 representatives, four per grade, serving as the bridge between the student body, administration, and elected officials at Northampton High School.

The Northampton Youth Commission is the official city body dedicated to representing young people in the city of Northampton. It is composed of youth ages 13-18 who work directly with elected leaders along with local community organizations to advocate, draft legislation, and lobby for policies that benefit young people and the community as a whole.