Dear Commissioner Riley: Massachusetts Maintenance of Equity Requirements

Summary

Dated March 1, 2023, this letter from Senior Advisor James F. Lane to Commissioner Jeff Riley of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education appreciates Massachusetts' early implementation of the maintenance of equity requirements in section 2004(b) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The letter credits the State's executive branch, appropriators in the State Legislature and agency leadership and staff, and describes data quality efforts and technical assistance. It looks ahead to the second year in fiscal year 2023. Governor Maura Healey is copied.

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“Dear Commissioner Riley: Massachusetts Maintenance of Equity Requirements.” Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/department-of-education-3-1-2023-used-www-ed-gov-a0e3ac8f69-258b3a31af/, SHA-256 e17e4632b1cea2873b94254497081eaca5a1bc92d90f03cb285b898e34a99203.

Full text

                      UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


                                         March 1, 2023

The Honorable Jeff Riley
Commissioner of Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148

Dear Commissioner Riley:

I am writing to recognize Massachusetts’ ongoing commitment to the maintenance of equity
requirements under section 2004(b) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). Knowing
the numerous, competing priorities facing States, State educational agencies, and local
educational agencies, Massachusetts’ early work to implement these new, critically important
resource equity requirements is appreciated. We note that Massachusetts’ action is a result of
cooperative efforts involving your executive branch, appropriators in your State Legislature, and
State educational agency leadership and staff.

ARP maintenance of equity requirements help ensure that State and local education funding
supports students who experienced longstanding opportunity gaps before, and were
disproportionately impacted by, the COVID-19 pandemic. In implementing these provisions
through a mix of data quality efforts, engagement with Department-provided technical
assistance, and maintenance of State education funding for the communities and students who
need it most, Massachusetts is taking critical steps to accelerate academic recovery and close
opportunity and achievement gaps.

My team looks forward to continuing our work with yours in implementing the second year of
maintenance of equity requirements in fiscal year 2023. Thank you for your collaboration, and
all you do for Massachusetts’ students, educators, and families.

                                             Sincerely,


                                             James F. Lane, Ed. D.
                                             Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary
                                             Delegated the Authority to Perform the Functions
                                             and Duties of the Assistant Secretary for
                                             Elementary and Secondary Education


CC:    The Honorable Maura Healey
       Governor of Massachusetts
       Massachusetts State House
       24 Beacon St., Room 280
       Boston, MA 02133

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