麻州政府在預算審聽會中提議以13億元支持MBTA營運

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Testifies in Support of Proposals to Improve Education and Transportation Across Massachusetts 

Governor Healey proposed $1.3 billion in Fair Share funding for MBTA, regional transit, pre-k access, early literacy, special education, career tech programs 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today testified in support of Governor Maura Healey’s Fiscal Year 2024 Fair Share Surplus Supplemental Budget, which proposes historic investments in education and transportation. The $1.3 billion proposal would support the MBTA, regional transit, pre-k access, early literacy, special education and career technical programs across the state. 

“Our administration is committed to improving quality of life across the state by improving roads, bridges and public transportation and making sure Massachusetts continues to have the best schools in the nation – from early education to K-12 to higher education,” said Governor Maura Healey. “At a time when the Trump Administration is trying to take us backwards on so many fronts and cancelling essential federal funding left and right, it is so important that Massachusetts stands strong for our communities and makes these investments that will have a positive impact on everyday life. We’re grateful for the Legislature’s careful consideration of our proposal.” 

“Our cities and towns deserve the resources to maintain safe roads, improve public transportation, and provide world-class educational opportunities for our students,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Our Fair Share proposal will ensure that local communities aren’t left to shoulder the costs alone, especially as they are increasingly being abandoned by the federal administration. We are committed to working with our municipal partners to make these investments where they are needed most.” 

The combined impact of the Governor’s House 1 budget proposal for FY26 Fair Share revenues and the supplemental budget for surplus Fair Share revenue from FY24 is an approximately 50 percent-50 percent split between Fair Share resources dedicated to transportation and education.  

In January, the Governor unveiled her House 1 proposal and Fair Share supplemental budget, along with her plans to make historic transportation improvements, reform the Chapter 90 program for municipalities, and modernize public higher education campuses through the BRIGHT Act. 

“By strategically investing in transportation and education, we are laying the foundation for a more competitive, resilient economy,” said Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz. “Along with our FY26 budget proposal, our supplemental budget bill for FY24 excess Fair Share maintains our commitment to fiscal responsibility while making transformative improvements to systems and infrastructure across Massachusetts. We are grateful for the Legislature's ongoing partnership as we utilize Fair Share funds to strengthen our state for generations to come.” 

The Fair Share Surplus Supplemental Budget includes:  

Transportation Investments 

• $400 million for the Federal Transit Administration reserve to protect and maximize federal funding.   

• $300 million to replenish the MBTA’s stabilization reserve, ensuring fiscal health and operational stability. 

• $67 million to continue the MBTA Income-Eligible Fare Relief Program, providing affordable access for transit for low-income riders. 

• $25 million for the Winter Resilience Assistance Program, helping municipalities prepare for and respond to extreme weather.  

• $25 million for the Regional Transit Authority workforce initiatives, including the CDL cost assistance and targeted training to address staffing shortages.  

• $17.5 million to support MassDOT’s workforce and project delivery capacity, ensuring we can deliver on our commitments efficiently and effectively.  

• $10 million for MicroTransit and Last-Mile Innov ation Grants, spurring creative local solutions to transportation access. 

“From fixing potholes to expanding public transit, Fair Share funding is making travel safer, more efficient, and more reliable for residents across the Commonwealth,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “This is about improving quality of life, strengthening connections between communities, and ensuring Massachusetts remains a national leader in sustainable transportation.” 

Education Investments 

• $100 million for early education and care capacity building, family access and affordability, and workforce supports, as well as support for implementation of the Early Education and Child Care Task Force recommendations.  

• $50 million to expand universally accessible, affordable preschool access through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), enabling current grantees to add more classrooms and affordable seats, as well as allow new communities to join, with a focus on gateway cities and long-term goal for children to have access across all cities and towns. 

• $32.5 million for the administration’s “Reimagining High School” initiative, to deepen investments in early college, innovation career pathways, career technical education programs and My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) planning tool to prepare students to thrive in college or a career when they graduate high school. 

• $25 million for an early literacy high dosage tutoring initiative to help accelerate literacy growth for 10,000 students in kindergarten through grade 3, with 1^st graders prioritized, complementing the more systemic, long-term improvement work being supported under Literacy Launch. 

• $30 million for Adult Basic Education/English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) literacy services to serve an additional 10,000 learners to address the growing waitlist for ESOL literacy services, launch an ESOL for Work and Career Access Credential and support Digital Literacy Training Services to support students in leveraging technology. 

• $75 million to add 3,000 new career technical education (chapter 74 program) seats across comprehensive and career technical education high schools. 

• $150 million for the special education circuit breaker to address increased special education and transportation costs for nearly all cities and towns in the state. Together with the Governor’s FY26 budget, special education circuit breaker is funded at $682 million, a 24% increase from last year and full funding of the account. 

“These important Fair Share investments – from pre-k access to pathways to higher education – are setting up the foundations for students to realize their dreams. We believe this proposal is the right one to meet this moment, helping our early education and care programs and schools address some of the most pressing equity gaps in education. I want to thank the Legislature for their continued partnership, especially at a time when the federal government is working to dismantle educational access for our most vulnerable students,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.  

The Healey-Driscoll Administration remains committed to ensure Fair Share funding is allocated efficiently and equitably to maximize its impact across the state. As the legislative process continues, the Administration looks forward to working with stakeholders at all levels to deliver these critical investments.   

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $1.2 Million in Grants to Support Playful Learning in Preschool through Third Grade

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $1.2 Million in Grants to Support Playful Learning in Preschool through Third Grade 

7 school districts to participate in second cohort of DESE’s Playful Learning Institute pilot, accessing professional development and coaching 

 
BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that it is awarding $1.2 million in grants to seven school districts to incorporate playful learning strategies into preschool through third grade classrooms. The funding will provide professional development and coaching to district and school leaders, classroom educators and other specialists on how to use play as an effective instructional approach that leads to deeper learning and more equitable access to learning while also supporting students’ physical, social and emotional development. 

“We are committed to helping our youngest students have a strong foundation for success as they begin their educations,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Guided play has been proven to improve students’ language development, skills needed for mathematics, and physical and emotional health. This funding will help make sure that our teachers have the training and resources they need to incorporate these strategies in the classroom.” 

“We are grateful to the district and school leaders and to the preschool through third grade educators who are partnering and innovating to improve supports for our youngest students through play-based learning,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “A high-quality education contributes to students’ academic success and ability to build healthy relationships with their peers and teachers.”   

These awardees will participate in the second cohort of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Early Learning Team pilot of the Playful Learning Institute. The first cohort included five schools where district educators and leaders created an action plan focused on the implementation of playful learning/instructional practices. DESE is working with NORC at the University of Chicago to evaluate the impact of the Playful Learning Institute.  

“Play-based learning provides young children with engaging experiences that support their cognitive and social-emotional development. These grants will help provide our schools, from Northampton to Fall River, with funding to create environments that reflect the ways in which young children learn,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.   

Here is a sampling of feedback DESE received from the first pilot: 

“Students are excited and motivated. Students are engaged in activities that are supporting many areas of need.” – Teacher 

“Kids love studios from Playful Learning Institute because it gives them voice and choice. They are motivated to learn, collaborate, play, and produce.” – Teacher 

“Students are highly engaged during the playful learning practices…students are using more vocabulary and language across their day and centers.” – Administrator 

“[English Learner] children are not always picking the activity that is the less language-dense necessarily. And that is really an interesting takeaway for me…it’s expanded use of oral language rehearsal for these kiddos. Those things I suspected could be barriers…[have] really been quite the opposite. It’s really increased access and equity for those students.” – Administrator  

The following recipients receive $175,000 each for grant activities: 

• Amesbury Public Schools 
• Fall River Public Schools 
• Lowell Public Schools 
• Newburyport Public Schools 
• Northampton Public Schools 
• Norwood Public Schools 
• Revere Public Schools 

波士頓市外賣公司將需申請牌照 司機得買責任險 違反規定每單罰300元

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市議會週三以11比2票，通過決議案，將規定大型第三方遞送應用程式，例如DoorDash和Uber Eats等，必須申請並取得在波士頓市內營運的許可。新法9個月後生效。

              這一法令，一部份源自吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 市長的推動改善道路及行人安全，將於9個月後生效，並適用於每年接單100萬次以上的所有第三方食物遞送公司，規定他們證明外送司機們買有責任險，並每季堤共某些外賣數據。

              外賣公司必須每年更新許可牌照，違反者罰款每家餐廳每天罰300元，或每單罰300元。最後的版本不包括有爭議每張外賣單徵稅15分錢。

              UPS、FedEx和亞馬遜 (Amazon)的遞送服務不受限制。

              但這法案適用於自行地送外賣，或使用應用程式接單，從雜貨店和便利店遞送訂單的小企業和餐館

              吳弭市長2月時宣佈，由於外賣司機危險駕駛的舉報大增，包括人們踩輕便摩托車，電動滑板闖紅燈，在人行道上行駛，或逆向行駛，她向市議會遞出訂定條例要求。

              波士頓市議會通過的版本，和吳弭市長提交的版本，幾乎沒什麼變動，但麻州餐館協會強力反對的徵稅15分，在市議會小組委員會主席Gabriela Coletta Zapata的主持下，未列入新法案。

法院裁決白體育館翻修工程未違反州法第97章 吳弭市長發聲明稱勝利

              (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 高等法院法官Matthew Nestor今(2)日裁定，波士頓市法蘭克林公園裏的白體育館 (White Stadium) 翻修計畫，並未違反州法第97章。波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 立即發表聲明，稱這是歷史性的勝利。

              法官的裁決將容許波士頓市和波士頓團結足球合作夥伴(Boston Unity Soccer Partners)（現為波士頓傳奇足球俱樂部特許經營權關聯企業）進行頗為昂貴的這公私合作翻修體育館計畫。這場地將於2026年3月起，成為波士頓公校學生運動員和新的專業女子足球隊的使用場地。

              翡翠項鍊保護會 (Emerald Necklace Conservancy)和當地居民，稱翻修計畫非法的把公有土地私有化，提起的訴訟，因這裁決而被駁回。

              這翻修計畫估計將耗資2億美元，由波士頓市政府和足球隊分攤。關於這翻修計畫的辯論，一直很激烈。

              反對者稱，翻修後的白體育館，一年有40天要保留給專業足球隊使用，是非法的公地私有化行為，觸犯了保護公園土地不經立法批准不得改變用途的麻州州法第97章。此外，翻修計畫中波士頓市府需要支付的費用，也從最初的5000萬元提高到9100萬元，增加了納稅人的負擔。人們也認為足球隊以每年40萬元的經費來租用這場地，不足以抵消政府投資。

              還有人批評這翻修計畫要砍掉145棵樹，增加地方上的交通流量，噪音，燈光汙染，以及翻修期間會讓波士頓公校體育隊無處可去。另有人批評這計畫的批准過程，以及招標流程很秘密，而且粗襙。

              起初是2023年4月時，波士頓市政府為翻修白體育館發出招標書，6月底時，只有波士頓聯合足球夥伴參與競標。之後由於社區民眾認為這翻修計畫有公地私有化嫌疑，工程費太過昂貴，對周遭環境可能造成影響等，激烈辯論。

              2024年2月時，翡翠項鍊保護會 (Emerald Necklace Conservancy)和當地居民提出4點訴訟，申請臨時限制令和初步禁制令，停止翻修行動。

              2024年3月時，薩福克郡高等法院法官Sarah Weyland Ellis拒絕了原告制止翻修的要求，裁定他們的案子”不太可能成功”。

              2024年秋末，波士頓市議員Ed Flynn和Erin Murphy以社區反對聲音高漲為由，促請吳弭市長放棄這計畫。

              2024年12月，白體育館的使用協議及租約簽，審前辯論也加速展開。

              2025年1月底，拆除白體育館的工程啟動，原告在看過租約後，修改了提訟理由。

              2025年2月時，波士頓市議會為此事開了長達9小時的聽證會，大都是反對者出席發言。但市議員們的投票結果6比6，未能發出停止計畫的決議案。麻州總檢察官Andrea Campbell也拒絕支持原告。波士頓環球報的Linda Henry也從足球隊投資集團退出。

              3月18至20日，一連3天的審判都聚焦在這計畫是否違反了麻州州法第97章。

              吳弭市長在發表的聲明中說，這裁決是個歷史性的勝利。一座翻修後的白體育館將在一年345天以上，每天15小時的供波士頓公校學生、教練及社區民眾使用。謝謝高等法院2次確認了這項重要計劃。

MAYOR MICHELLE WU RELEASES STATEMENT ON WHITE STADIUM VICTORY

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu releases the following statement:

“In a City of sports champions, this is a historic victory. A renovated White Stadium will be open and used by BPS students, coaches, and community 15 hours per day, more than 345 days per year. We thank the Superior Court for twice affirming this vital project for our students and community as a year-round facility that will inspire the next generation of Boston students. Together, after so many years of broken promises, we will give our young people and all our residents the scale of investment and opportunity that Franklin Park and our City deserve.”

麻州政府申請動用7億5600萬元補充預算

Healey-Driscoll Administration Files $756 Million Supplemental Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 

Bill Closes Funding Gaps to Ensure Continuation of Critical State Programs for Emergency Services, Seniors, Veterans, Children and Families 

BOSTON — Today, Governor Maura Healey filed a supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) to address time-sensitive spending needs for state services such as food access, public safety, housing and child care, create opportunities for Massachusetts businesses, and boost local economies through the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence. The bill allocates $756.3 million in gross spending, at a net cost to the state of $544.7 million after offsets.  

“This budget bill proposes targeted investments that improve quality of life in Massachusetts, such as ensuring access to health care, supporting families with child care costs, and making sure veterans get their benefits,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’ve also heard clearly from local officials and medical professionals across the state, especially in communities impacted by Steward Health Care’s closures, that they need more support. That’s why we’re proposing significant funding for EMS providers that have faced extraordinary costs. Our administration remains committed to maintaining a responsible state budget that tangibly benefits the people of Massachusetts.” 

“This supplemental budget bill for FY25 meets pressing spending needs so that Massachusetts continues to be the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “I am proud that the investments in this bill, such as a new reserve of funding for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), are responsive to the needs of our local communities.”  

Among the programs funded by this bill that support Massachusetts residents at a time of rising costs is $189.6 million for the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)’s Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA), which helps families pay for child care and out-of-school time programs.  

The administration also proposes $15.5 million, at a net cost to the state of $7.8 million after reimbursements, to help combat food benefit theft by replacing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards with more secure chip cards.   

“This bill furthers the FY25 budget strategy that our administration crafted at the start of the Fiscal Year with our Legislative partners, which carefully manages growth and controls spending while preserving vital state programs,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “I appreciate the Legislature’s consideration of this bill, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate on maintaining a responsible and balanced budget.”    

This bill also appropriates $10 million to reimburse local and regional emergency medical services (EMS) providers for recent extraordinary costs incurred to provide services.   

The largest deficiency addressed in this bill is $240 million for Group Insurance Commission (GIC) Plans and Premiums, which will address increased costs due to high utilization rates.  

An outside section in this bill will unlock new opportunities for small and diverse businesses by raising procurement thresholds under public construction laws, such as for competitive bidding processes, certain reporting and record keeping mandates, and the necessity of paying bonds for payment and performance on small projects. These threshold increases align with recommendations from the Public Construction Projects Advisory Council that Governor Healey convened in 2024 through Executive Order 630.  

Additional outside sections in this bill make technical updates to recent legislation to streamline policy implementation. The supp also includes Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) ratifications, for CBAs entered into since the last supplemental budget.  

This bill also allocates:  

• $134.5 million for supplemental funding, at no net cost to the state, for a Medical Assistance Trust Fund Transfer  

• $60 million, at no net cost to the state, for the Executive Office of Aging & Independence’s most vital direct care services, including home care services 

• $42.9 million for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) 

• $15 million for municipal and statewide tourism efforts for Massachusetts 250, celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution 

• $5.8 million to implement the Veterans annuity payment increases passed in the HERO Act 

• $4.2 million for the State Police Crime Lab to ensure the timely review of evidence  

• $600,000 for National Guard wildfire response costs 

波士頓華埠尼倫街與夏利臣街交口處 箱型卡車撞傷6人

箱形卡車衝上尼倫街人行道，側翻島地。(圖片來自阮鴻燦臉書)

             (Boston Orange 摘譯) 4月1日中午時分，波士頓華埠尼倫街 (Kneeland) 和夏利臣(Harrison)街交界處發生卡車衝上人行道事件，6人受傷送醫。

              波士頓警察局局長Michael Cox在現場匯報時說明，有4人被送往醫院，其中一人情況危急。另外2人拒絕就醫。

              Michael Cox說，初步調查顯示這是意外事故。

              車禍事件發生在中午12點48分。消防局人員說這輛出租卡車一連撞了好幾各路樁才停下來。社交媒體上的照片顯示玻璃、碎石散落在人行道和馬路上。

              根據消防局在Broadcastify上的廣播消息，卡車司機當時被卡在車裏，得由其他人拉出來。

              Cox局長說，起初司機的情況嚴重，但後來好了些。警方未公佈司機的姓名。

共有4人送醫。(圖片來自阮鴻燦臉書)

              直至1日下午，有一人情況一直危急。

              薩福克郡地方檢察官Kevin Hayden在簡報時表示，將竭力調查出事緣由，以決定是否有任何責任問題。

              Penske發言人在一份聲明中表示，卡車是出租給了一家商業卡車公司。該公司將持續緊密關切此事，並全力支持有關當局的調查，向意外事件中受傷者致意。

波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 感謝趕赴現場的急救人員。她說，這兒是波士頓市的一個繁忙地區，事件又發生在中午，人們正忙著上路用餐，支持市內小企業，或辦理日常事務。站在現場看損傷規模，的確讓人很震驚。

事故發生後，一輛嚴重受損的 Penske 箱型貨車側翻在人行道上，卡在尼倫街的電線桿和一棟大樓之間。大樓有好幾片窗戶碎裂了。

吳弭市長說，檢驗服務局 (inspectional services department)將評估大樓狀態。

警察局派了2輛警車出來，但在抵達前，有一名在攝影機上看到撞擊事件，並提醒了一名派遣員。他告訴派遣員有輛廂型卡車撞進大樓了，情況很糟。

              警察在調查車禍事件時，封鎖了泰勒街和華盛頓街之間的尼倫街。

麻州公衛部推出首個WIC線上購物辦法

State Health Officials Launch First-Ever Online Grocery Ordering Program for Massachusetts WIC Participants 

Participants can now use their benefits to order WIC-approved foods online from Walmart stores across the state 

BOSTON (April 1, 2025) — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition program participants in Massachusetts can, for the first time, use their benefits for online ordering through Walmart. Participants are now able to shop online for WIC-approved foods for in-store pickup or delivery from 48 Walmart stores across the state, providing a modern, convenient, and accessible option for the more than 125,000 residents served by the program in Massachusetts each year. 

This pilot program is part of an initiative by the Food and Nutrition Service at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve the WIC shopping experience by incorporating internet-based transactions. Under federal guidelines, WIC-approved items have only been possible to purchase in-person from participating stores. However, Massachusetts is among a handful of states that received federal grant funding and waivers to implement the WIC online ordering project.  

“The option to shop for groceries online makes nutritious food more accessible for WIC participants in the state,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “It helps alleviate the challenges faced by many when in-person shopping is the only option – challenges like limited mobility, lack of transportation, language barriers, and time constraints.” 

Integrating online ordering into Massachusetts WIC services is part of Massachusetts’ ongoing commitment to equitable access to quality public health services, including by reducing food insecurity and barriers to healthy foods for families. Massachusetts WIC participants can now shop for WIC-approved food through the Walmart app or online by going to Walmart.com/wic. 

Funding for the Massachusetts WIC online ordering program comes from the WIC Online Shopping Cooperative Agreement Grant from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact. Grant participation is in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Health’s WIC program, Walmart, and eWIC benefits processors Custom Data Processing Inc. and Fidelity Information Services. 

The Massachusetts WIC program has provided personalized nutrition care and benefits to income-eligible pregnant people and families with children under age 5 to purchase nutritious foods critical for growth and development. Administered within DPH’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition, Massachusetts WIC currently serves nearly half of all infants and over 125,000 individuals per month across the state. WIC families can redeem their benefits in-person at more than 850 approved retailers across Massachusetts. 

More information is available at mass.gov/wic.

川普政府停發聯邦教育穩定基金 麻州中小學失去1.06億元聯邦資助

 Trump Administration Terminates $106 Million in K-12 Education Funding for Massachusetts 

Funding supported student mental health supports, tutoring, school security and building upgrades  

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration is condemning the Trump Administration’s illegal move to terminate $106 million in K-12 education grant funding for Massachusetts. On Friday evening at 5:03 pm, the U.S. Department of Education notified all states about its decision to end the federal Education Stabilization Fund liquidation period effective three minutes prior, at 5:00 pm. Nationally, it is estimated that this decision terminates over $2 billion across 41 states. In February 2025, the Trump Administration had just reaffirmed that Massachusetts had until March 2026 to spend the funds.  

“At a time when students are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, we need to be doing everything we can to address learning loss and the youth mental health crisis. Instead, President Trump suddenly ripped away more than $100 million in funding that is supposed to go right to Massachusetts students and schools,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This action is jeopardizing mental health care and math tutoring for our students, as well as projects that are already underway to enhance school security and ensure that the air in our school buildings is clean. Massachusetts has been making important progress helping students recover from the pandemic, but President Trump is trying to take us backwards.” 

“The federal government and states should be working together to invest in capital projects that improve the learning environments for our students and support their education and wellbeing,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Massachusetts does not have the resources to replace all of the funding that President Trump is terminating. These are more devastating terminations that impact our students and schools today and well into the future.” 

“We are not back yet from the pandemic. We know that many students in Massachusetts and across the country are still experiencing pandemic-related learning loss and mental health challenges. The federal government had repeatedly reaffirmed these extensions in acknowledgement of continued supply chain issues, labor shortages and to ensure continuity in learning acceleration efforts. Projects funded by these grants are underway. The Trump Administration’s outrageous and cruel decision, in which we received notice of a new arbitrary deadline, will have real harm to our students and their learning and wellbeing,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.  

The funding was intended to support a multitude of statewide efforts to address pandemic-related learning loss, with a focus on literacy, math and science – areas where learning was particularly disrupted during the pandemic. Recent test scores show that, while Massachusetts students continue to lead the nation, they have still not fully recovered from the learning lost during the pandemic. This funding helped address those gaps by supporting mental health services, high-dosage math tutoring, purchasing of high-quality instructional material with a focus on science, and enhanced screenings to identify students’ risk of poor reading outcomes, including risk of dyslexia. 

This funding was supporting building upgrades across 20 school districts to improve air quality through HVAC installations and build outdoor learning spaces for students. Some projects were enhancing security in schools, including the purchasing of cameras, door alarm, and emergency response technology. As the federal government had committed to these funds, the projects are all currently underway but had been delayed due to continued supply chain issues and labor shortages. 

The funding was also supporting professional development for educators, such as DESE’s Learning Acceleration Network and five Regional Licensure Centers that help emergency teacher license holders get provisional or initial licensure to stay employed in Massachusetts public schools. 

“Trump's decision to cut off money already promised to school districts will have drastic negative effects on Massachusetts communities,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "This administration clearly does not care about damaging our education system or hurting our children, leaving local officials scrambling to pick up the pieces when they should be fully focused on supporting our schools. It's all part of the federal administration's unconscionable hacksaw approach to governing. Trump is not only undermining Congress and our Constitution, he is making dangerous cuts that will undermine public education, the very engine of opportunity and economic vitality that has been a hallmark of this Commonwealth since Horace Mann.” 

“The Trump administration pretends to champion education by claiming it wants to empower states, but in reality, it is actively sabotaging states' ability to support our most vulnerable students,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “Canceling funds that schools have already built into their budgets is reckless, and shows a blatant disregard for the needs of our students and schools." 

“As a former member of the National Assessment Governing Board which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), I am acutely aware of the significant negative impact that COVID had on our K-12 students in Massachusetts and across the country from which many students have not fully recovered,” said State Representative Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley), House Assistant Majority Leader. These funds were given to the states to determine how to best ensure the negative impact of lost learning time is addressed. The fact that the Trump administration is taking the funds back gives lie to its claim that it is eliminating the DOE in order to give more authority to the states and not to cut funding. This action is unconscionable and cowardly.” 

“This is another example of outrageous and capricious behavior from the Trump administration, which will hurt Massachusetts schools that had already approved plans for use of these funds,” said State Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. 

“This is a time when we should be supporting our students, especially those who are still struggling to emerge from challenges stemming from the pandemic,” said State Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “It is not the time to pull back. We in the House value every student, and we will stand up for our learners.” 

“Recalling this funding is further evidence of the Trump administration’s indifference toward public education and willingness to sacrifice students, families and communities in the name of delivering tax cuts to the wealthy,” said Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy. “These are crucial federal investments communities are counting on. Without these funds, students stand to lose necessary tutoring and other academic support, and financially strapped cities and towns won’t be able to remedy health and safety vulnerabilities exposed during the pandemic. Donald Trump and Linda McMahon cannot be allowed to abandon our public schools.” 

“Withdrawing funding already in use in schools across the country is nothing short of a cruel attempt to cause chaos and destruction. Tens of thousands of children right here in Massachusetts rely on services and resources paid for by this funding. These cuts will disproportionately harm those most in need of services – students with disabilities, low-income students, and the districts serving at-risk students,” said Jessica Tang, President of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts. The federal education agenda is nothing short of a dismantling of our ability to provide a fair and equal public education. We thank Secretary Tutwiler and Governor Healey for their commitment to supporting our students, our schools, and our educators and we will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to protect their future.” 

Impacted school districts: 

• Springfield ($47,357,654) 

• New Bedford ($15,603,433)  

• Fitchburg ($6,578,468) 

• Everett ($4,897,300) 

• Revere ($4,613,327) 

• Boston ($3,468,659) 

• Leominster ($1,868,215) 

• Stoughton ($1,512,470) 

• Worcester ($1,454,350) 

• Chelsea ($1,448,715) 

• Lawrence ($1,307,307) 

• Dracut ($648,702) 

• Holyoke ($395,863) 

• West Springfield ($354,868) 

• Lynn ($339,357) 

• Fairhaven ($250,802) 

• Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical ($115,465) 

• Ludlow ($83,334) 

• Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical ($21,461) 

• Mashpee ($2,481)  

Impacted Nonpublic Schools: 

• Mater Dolorosa Catholic School in Holyoke ($118,894) 

• Saint Stanislaus School in Chicopee ($172,692) 

World Class Professional Fields Announced for 2025 Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

World Class Professional Fields Announced for 2025 Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

Saturday, April 19 Racing Kicks off Patriots’ Day Weekend 

BOSTON – Global medalists, Boston champions, and U.S. stars are set to compete as part of the Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 19, kicking off Boston Marathon weekend with racing through Boston’s Back Bay. More than 100 professional athletes from around the globe will compete across the two events.  

“This year’s Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile will set the stage for a memorable weekend celebration of running, health, and fitness in the city,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “At the front of the field will be some of the fastest and most accomplished athletes across the Open, Wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions.” 

BOSTON 5K FIELD TO TACKLE NEW COURSE IN 2025 

On April 19, a field of more than 10,000 participants will take to a new race route for the Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Starting adjacent to Boston Public Garden, athletes will run out on Commonwealth Avenue towards Boston University before reversing direction, passing through Kenmore Square, running right on Hereford Street and left on Boylston Street, ultimately finishing at the Boston Marathon finish line. The 3.1-mile course is a flat and fast tour of Back Bay. 

That’s music to Charles Philibert-Thiboutot’s ears, as the Canadian champion from 2022 returns looking to earn his second Boston 5K crown. Three years ago, ‘CPT’ won in 13:35, sprinting to the line just ahead of a large pack of challengers. Joining him on the line this year is fellow Canadian Olympian Thomas Fafard. 

Biya Simbassa, the No.1-ranked road racer nationally, will try to extend the American winning streak to three. Simbassa ran a 2:06:53 marathon in 2024 and was 9^th at the USA 5K National Championship, showing his range of abilities. Also toeing the line are Kenya’s Amon Kemboi, best known for his 3:53.57 mile speed, and Eritrea’s Dawit Seare, fourth at the 2023 World Road Running Championships 5K. Josh Kalapos represents the hometown B.A.A. High Performance Team in the professional field. Britain’s Patrick Dever, the NCAA Champion at 10,000m in 2021, is also entered, while fellow countryman Henry McLuckie, fourth in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile last year, moves up in distance to run the Boston 5K this year. 

The fastest woman in the field, Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa (14:16.54 5000m best), will be chased by Norah Jeruto, the 2022 World Champion in the 3000m steeplechase from Kazakhstan, Lemlem Hailu, the 2022 World Indoor 3000m gold medalist from Ethiopia, and Tsigie Gebreselama, the 2023 World Cross Country silver medalist from Ethiopia. 

Top-ten finishers from a year ago return in Erika Kemp (fifth), Bethany Hasz (sixth), and Vanessa Fraser (eighth), all from the USA. Hasz is a member of the B.A.A. High Performance Team along with her sister, Megan, who is also competing. Taylor Roe comes off a win at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. 

Reigning wheelchair division champions Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow-Cooper return, hoping to replicate their 2024 Boston Marathon weekends which saw both win the 5K on Saturday and marathon on Monday. Joining them is two-time Boston Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk. 

In the Para Athletics Divisions, 2024 Boston 5K winners El Amin Chentouf (T11/12/13 vision impairment), Atsbha Gebremeskel (T45-47 upper-limb impairment), and Marko Cheseto Lemtukei (T42-T44, T61-T64 lower-limb impairment) all return. Making his Boston debut will be 2024 Paralympic gold medalists Wajdi Boukhili (T12, marathon) and Aminullah Tissaoui (T38, 1500m). 

Kelly Bruno (T64) Tatsiana Khvitsko-Trimborn (T61), and Sayers Grooms (T72) are among the women’s entrants in the Para Athletics Divisions. 

The Boston 5K starts at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19. 

RETURNING CHAMPION COMBER LEADS B.A.A. INVITATIONAL MILE 

Casey Comber won the 2024 B.A.A. Invitational Mile thanks to a last lap kick in 4:07.31, and now looks to become the first man to win back-to-back years since Olympic medalist Nick Willis did so in 2013/2014. Luke Houser, the recently crowned 2025 World Indoor Championships bronze medalist at 1500m and two-time NCAA Indoor Mile champion, will try to play spoiler and win in his first race on the roads in Boston. 

Also toeing the line with Boston ties are B.A.A. High Performance Team member Isaac Basten, as well as Boston University’s Foster Malleck, who was third at the NCAA Indoor Championships mile in March.  

Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, a prolific racer across the track and roads, makes her B.A.A. Invitational Mile debut and will go up against Micaela Degenero, fourth a year ago and the 2022 NCAA Indoor mile champion. From the Atlanta Track Club is Laurie Barton, a 4:27 miler.

Canadian Olympians Erin Teschuk and Julie-Anne Staehli and Kenya’s Dorcas Ewoi, a 1:58.19 800m runner, round out the international talent. 

In addition to the professionals, student-athletes from each of the eight cities and towns that make up the Boston Marathon route will compete in a Scholastic Mile and Middle School 1K. The B.A.A. Invitational Mile will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Boston Marathon Finish Line on Saturday, April 19. 

Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Professional Fields 

WOMEN’S FIELD	COUNTRY	5,000m PB
Medina Eisa	ETH	14:16.54 (London, 2023)
Tsigie Gebreselama	ETH	14:18.76 (Eugene, 2024)
Lemlen Hailu	ETH	14:34.53 (Paris, 2023)
Grace Loibach	KEN	14:42.63 (Paris, 2023)
Laura Galvan	MEX	14:43.94 (Budapest, 2023)NR
Gela Hambese	ETH	14:47.74 (Doha, 2024)
Vanessa Fraser	USA	14:48.51i (Boston, 2020)
Norah Jeruto	KAZ	14:51.73 (Berlin, 2019)
Lemlem Nibret	ETH	14:56.00 (Montesson, 2023)
Bethany Hasz	USA	15:05.80 (Los Angeles, 2024)
Emily Lipari	USA	15:07.22 (San Juan Capistrano, 2022)
Erika Kemp	USA	15:10.10 (Boston, 2021)
Taylor Roe	USA	15:15.01i (Boston, 2024)
Hannah Steelman	USA	15:19.69 (Portland, 2024)
Dominique Scott	RSA	15:20.84i (Boston, 2020)
Gracelyn Larkin	CAN	15:21.68i (Boston, 2025)
Charlotte Prouse	CAN	15:26.01 (Boston, 2018)
Roisin Flanagan	IRL	15:26.32 (Walnut, 2023)
Eilish Flanagan	IRL	15:33.37i (Boston, 2023)
Megan Hasz	USA	15:33.48 (Lost Angeles, 2023)
Cleo Boyd	CAN	15:44.14 (Raleigh, 2024)
Alexandra Lucki	CAN	15:49.82 (Los Angeles)
Lilly Tuck	CAN	15:53.76 (Philadelphia, 2024)
Katie Kellner	USA	15:56.42 (Guelph, 2014)
Rachel Hyland	USA	16:06.42i (Boston 2021)
Erin Gregoire	USA	16:19.31 (NYC, 2025)
Ryann Helmers	USA	16:21.99 (Charlottesville, 2023)
Stevie Lawrence-Wrist	GBR	17:18.70 (Allendale, 2021)

MEN’S FIELD	COUNTRY	5,000m PB
Patrick Dever	GBR	13:04.05i (Boston, 2024)
Thomas Fafard	CAN	13:05.07 (Bruxelles, 2024)
Amon Kemboi	KEN	13:06.30i (Boston, 2024)
Dawit Seare	ERI	13:07.77 (Wien, 2024)
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot	CAN	13:12.76 (San Juan Capistrano, 2022)
Sam Parsons	GER	13:12.78i (Boston, 2023) NR
Biya Simbassa	USA	13:19.12 (San Juan Capistrano, 2021)
Reid Buchanan	USA	13:27.03 (Los Angeles, 2023)
John Gay	CAN	13:29.82 (Birmingham, 2022)
Andrew Alexander	CAN	13:29.91i (Boston, 2023)
Jean Simon Desgagnes	CAN	13:33.38 (Azusa, 2024)
Henry McLuckie	GBR	13:36.26 (Walnut,2023)
Mitchell Ubene	CAN	13:36.71 (Langley, 2022)
Connor Black	CAN	13:38.09 (Langley, 2022)
Afewerki Zeru	USA	13:44.58 (Walnut, 2022)
Nicholas Bannon	CAN	13:45.56 (Langley, 2022)
Joey Berriatua	USA	13:49.16 (Sn Juan, Capistrano, 2020)
Oisín Ó Gailín	IRL	13:49.61i (Boston, 2023)
Max Turek	CAN	13:50.37i (Boston, 2022)
Mitchell Dervin	USA	13:57.58i (Boston, 2024)
Ben Connor	GBR	14:08.11 (Boston, 2014)
Ben Garner	USA	14:09.16 (Azusa, 2024)
Brian Harvey	USA	14:13.93 (Princeton, 2012)
Colin Cernik	USA	14:14.52 (Boston, 2024)
Daniel Johanning	CRI	14:16.79 (Azusa, 2024)
Josh Kalapos	USA	14:21.04 (NYC, 2024)
Aaron Willingham	USA	14:22.39 (Boston, 2024)

 

WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD	COUNTRY
Hannah Babalola	NGR
Christie Dawes	AUS
Patricia Eachus	SUI
Eden Rainbow-Cooper	GBR
Michelle Wheeler	USA
MEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD	COUNTRY
Hermin Garic	USA
Marcel Hug	SUI
Jetze Plat	NED
Daniel Romanchuk	USA
Geert Schipper	NED
Brian Siemann	USA
Johnboy Smith	GBR
David Weir	GBR
Sho Watanabe	JPN

 

WOMEN’S PARA ATHLETICS DIVISION	COUNTRY	CLASSIFICATION
Tatsiana Khvitsko-Trimborn	USA	T61
Kelly  Bruno	USA	T64
Sayers Grooms	USA	T72