The following is a press release from the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce about the scholarship winners.

MetroWest Chamber Education Foundation Awards $13,000 in Scholarship money to local students

The MetroWest Chamber of Commerce recently awarded $13,000  in scholarship money to graduating seniors from throughout the MetroWest region.  This year’s award money, partially funded by the Chamber’s Annual Golf Tournament and the Taste of MetroWest, provided thirteen area students assistance to attend the college of their choice. In addition to the scholarship money, the students were honored with citations from Senator Karen Spilka and Representatives Carolyn Dykema, Chris Walsh, Tom Conroy and Tom Sannicandro.

The breakfast was sponsored by TD Bank and hosted by J.P. Keefe Technical School.   Students from the Culinary Arts Department prepared a fabulous buffet breakfast which was enjoyed by more than 60 people who attended.

The keynote speaker was Tom Sannicandro, currently serving as a State Representative in Massachusetts and chair of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Higher Education. He is recognized as an advocate for education funding and a strong voice for people with disabilities. He encouraged the students ” to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.”

This year the Scholarship Selection Committee, chaired by Katherine Wellington of  Investment Property Specialiusts, awarded eight Robert J. Lemieux Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each and  five STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. Selection committee members also included Donna Kelleher from Next Generation Children’s Centers, Chris Kostiw from Rockland Bank and Trust, Betsy Pielocik from Bose Corp, Kelly Marcimo from Charter Business and Chamber President Bonnie Biocchi.

2012 MetroWest Chamber STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Scholarship Recipients included:

Miles McCarthy is a senior at Catholic Memorial High School and is planning to attend Williams College. He will study Math and Economics and hopes to open a business of his own in the future. Miles is an accomplished lacrosse player and was recruited by the coaches at  Williams College to play for them. An outstanding student, Miles is ranked 2nd in his class of 170, was the recipient of the Yale Book Award, and has achieved many honors and acknowledgements. He is also involved with numerous community service projects, Campus Ministry, National Honor Society, several sports teams, and school clubs including S.A.D.D, Forensics, Recycling and Biology Club.

June Kim  is a senior at Wayland High School and is planning to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. June will focus herstudies on Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace. She earned a 3.9 GPA andcontinually challenged herself by taking almost all of the AP courses offered at Wayland HS as well as enrolling herself in one of MIT’s Math courses. Moving to the United States from Korea in middle school, June learned English as a second language and immersed herself in many activities including the Robotics Team, MIT Edgerton Center Engineering and Design Summer program, playing the cello and practicing Tai Kwon Do. Awarded the Harvard Prize Book last year, June has proven herself an outstanding student as well as a kind hearted young woman.

Madeline Cooper is a senior at Ashland High School. Enrolled in the most rigorous academic course load offered at her school, she has excelled, earning her a class ranking of 2nd out of 183 students while also holding the office of class president. Madeline also held an impressive biomedical internship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and shadowed a physician at the Cambridge Family Health Alliance to enhance her education on biomedical/chemical engineering and neuroscience. Madeline is the girls’Varsity Soccer team manager, a member of the National Honor Society, a certified life guard and involved in several community service and school groups.

Igor Alves is a senior at Joseph P. Keefe Technical High School and is planning to attend Brandeis University. Ranking second in his class of 161, Igor is an excellent student and a role model for his peers and siblings. He is one of few students who took advantage of the Cooperative Education program from the start of the school year, where he has successfully worked for the corporate office of TJX. This program required Igor to retain a high GPA and  maintain good attendance. Igor has excelled in the Information & Technology field at school and will surely continue to do so at his University of choice.

Jamie Horrigan is a senior at Hopkinton High School and is planning to attend Siena College in Loudonville, NY. She wishes to pursue a graduate degree in the medical field. As an exemplary student, Jamie has worked diligently through her rigorous course load to achieve excellent grades and several awards including the AP Scholar Award, the Mathematics Academic Award and St. Michael’s Collage Book Award. She is also the founder and president of 11:11, a fundraising club to benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation and captain of the swim team. She also dedicates time to the Concert Band, National Honor Society and many other extracurricular and community service activities.

2012 Robert J. Lemieux Scholarship Recipients

Alexandra Patterson is a senior at Hopkinton High School and is planning to attend
Suffolk University in Boston. With a strong passion for the Spanish language and culture, she hopes to pursue a career that will enable her to use her ability to learn new languages and communicate with others. A dedicated and determined student, Alex has taken on many responsibilities outside of school while also involving herself in school clubs such as the GSA, National Junior Classical League, National Honor Society and S.A.D.D. Along with various community service projects she has also proven her dedication to helping others by volunteering as a tutor at Hopkinton High School.

Victoria Clark is a senior at Joseph P. Keefe Technical School and is planning to attend Oakland University in Rochester, MI. As the top student in her class, she intends to continue on with her passion and study Electronic Engineering. Victoria participated in a co-op at the TJX corporate offices in addition ro playing on the varsity basketball team (captain), the varsity volleyball team, and track and field. She was also the Student Counsel Vice President. She competes in SkillsUSA, BPA and the Toastmasters Program. Pursuing a career in the predominantly male engineering field will pose no problem for this bright, determined and well-rounded young woman.

Zachary Sellman is a senior at Hopkinton High School and is planning to attend
Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Going into the Biomedical Engineering field, Zach is
passionate about helping others and gaining an education to enhance health conditions worldwide. Taking Honors & AP classes, shadowing a dentist and an orthodontist, and participating in several retreats and mission trips has given Zach great insight into the health care field. His love for soccer led him to play for school and club teams, earning him starting position senior year and the Unsung Hero Award. Zach is committed to his schoolwork, extracurricular activities and community service, and also makes time to spend with family and friends.

Geena Byrne is a senior at Ashland High School and is planning to attend Roger Williams University in RI. Passionate about architecture, she hopes to focus on Eco-friendly designs driven by her belief that it is our responsibility to keep our planet clean and green. Geena is currently the captain of the Varsity Cheerleading squad where she has wonmultiple awards for her outstanding performance. She is also a lifeguard in the summer with CPR, AED, and Red Cross Certifications.

Jenae Liu is a senior at Joseph P. Keefe Technical School and is planning to attend Framingham State University. She wishes to pursue a career in Early Childhood Education, and has been gaining valuable experience at local childcare centers as well as through the Early Childhood Career and Technical Education program at school. Ranking in the top 15% of her class, Jenae has achieved a near perfect 3.9 GPA while taking a rigorous course load including many honors classes. Her motivation and dedication has proven Jenae a top student as well as a positive influence on her peers.

Megan Davis is a senior at Algonquin Regional High School and is planning to attend Ithaca College in NY, where she will pursue her goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Megan’s GPA is over 4.5, ranking her in the top 15% of her class, and she has proven to be a delight in the classroom. With enthusiasm and natural curiosity, Megan’s teachers enjoy her presence and her peers appreciate her positive insight. Megan is dedicated to helping others and gives her time generously, volunteering in her community as well as in foreign countries. When she’s not busy competing for the track team, she works countless hours for her church volunteering as a Sunday school teacher and sharing her faith with others.

Ariel Cormier is a senior at Wayland High School and is planning to attend Providence College. She wishes to pursue a career in Education to continue her desire to help and serve others in her community. Dedicated to promoting a substance-free life, Ariel has helped promote and encourage safe social lives for teens by taking part in Youth Action Group. Academically,  Ariel is a high performer and has eraned the respect of her peers by demonstrating hard work and perseverance. She is also active in several volunteer service groups and extracurricular activities, including dance, summer internships, and teaching/advising younger students.

Benjamin Faucher is a senior at Hopkinton High School and is planning to attend either Boston University, Northeastern Univeristy or UMass Amherst in the Fall. With a passion for technology and computers, Ben has spent his academic career in Honors and AP classes earning him a place in the top 5% of his class. Ben is a musician as well as a sound technician and  participates in his school marching band, musical/theatre productions, and playing the piano. Devoted to learning, Ben has proven to be a role model for others taking numerous challenging courses as well as being involved in several Community Service projects and school clubs.

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The bill moves away from a fee-for-service model and moves toward the use of account care organizations and a global payment system that rewards healthy outcomes.

Local Representative Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) applauded the release of the bill.

“Having more affordable health care is one of the most important things we can do to attract businesses to the state and encourage hiring,” Sannicandro said. “The industry is already moving toward a payment delivery system that rewards healthy outcomes. This bill is the next step in making sure everyone has coverage and that we can afford it.”

“Our current health care system rewards high-volume, expensive care that is not necessarily higher in quality,” said Chairman Steven Walsh, Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. “Under this legislation, providers will be incentivized to practice the best possible care at a reasonable price, and consumers will be provided with the necessary information to actively participate in making personal health care decisions. This bill strikes the right balance in controlling our rising health care costs while improving the quality of care that our patients receive.”

The bill comes as health care spending takes up a larger and larger percentage of the state’s budget; Premiums for a family average over $15,000 annually and each year health care costs comprise a greater percentage of the state budget.

In preparing the bill, Walsh visited 54 hospitals, held 800 meetings with physicians, patients and others, and held high-level discussions with a dozen of the world’s most-renowned academic experts on the subject.

The bill includes a variety of cost-saving measures. In addition to the shift toward accountable care organizations, the bill improves information sharing, so patients have access to their records and don’t have duplicative tests; requires disclosure to patients of the costs of their care; includes a surcharge on health care providers who are unable to justify costs that are 20 percent above average; and has an increased role for nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.

In addition, the bill includes as medical malpractice reform parts of a bill sponsored by Sannicandro. The bill, (H. 494) would have specifically exempted doctors from liability should they offer an apology. Physician apologies have been identified as a mitigating factor in whether patients decide to sue for medical malpractice. The bill unveiled Friday includes that language.

The bill also:

• Establishes the Health Care Workforce Trust Fund to better prepare workers for the health care jobs of the future.

• Puts a premium on prevention and wellness (businesses are eligible for a $10K tax credit by establishing a wellness program).

• Sets a predictable goal for health care cost growth, Gross State Product -0.5% in three years.

• Facilitates the use of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Patient-Centered Medical Homes to improve treatment.

The bill now moves to the House Committee on Ways & Means.

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Redefining autism spectrum disorders – how it might affect your child’s services.

Wayside Youth and Family

Presents a FREE Seminar with

Dr. Nora Friedman

at Waltham Public Library  735 Main Street, Waltham, MA  02451

Wednesday May 9th, 2012, 7-8:30pm

This event is open to the public

The draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes substantial changes for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder that may not fully address the needs of children on the spectrum. Currently defined as one of five disorders -Asperger’s, PDD-NOS, Rett’s and childhood disintegrative disorder — the DSM-5 proposes a single autism spectrum diagnosis that incorporates all five subtypes. Citing research showing few qualitative differences between persons with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism, this proposed change has generated professional and public debate. Author Nora Friedman, along with her colleagues Julie Sadhu and Michael Jellinek, have suggested in a recent article published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, that the subtypes have served as an organizing framework for care, research, available supports, advocacy and public policy efforts for years, and the impact of a unitary classification would be considerable.

As an undergraduate at Yale, Nora Friedman, studied ethics, politics and economics. A close relationship with a developmentally disabled family member focused her interest on disability rights, the social stigma of disabilities, and the ethical implications of prenatal testing. She wondered whether to become a lawyer, physician or bioethicist. In the end, she chose medicine. In June of 2006, Dr. Friedman assumed one of two positions in the prestigious five-year combined Pediatrics/Adult and Child Psychiatry program. with MGH/Mclean. As she establishes her career in medicine, she hopes to blend her love of one-to-one patient care with her zeal for advocacy and bioethics.

For more information please contact Judi Maguire –  judi_maguire@waysideyouth.org

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NAMI Basics Education Program in Framingham starts May 16th
The fundamentals of caring for you, your family and your child with mental illness

What is NAMI Basics?

NAMI Basics is an education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses.  The NAMI Basics course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years. All instruction materials are FREE to participants.

What will I learn?

ü  The basic information necessary to take the best care possible of your child, your family, and yourself.

ü  Skills to help you cope with the impact mental illness has on your child and your entire family.

ü  The tools you will need to assist you in making the best decisions possible for the care of your child.

What does the course include?

Classes will be held over six Wednesday evenings -May 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th, June 6^th, 13^th and 20^th.Classes start at 6:30pm and end at 9:00pm. You need to commit to attending all six sessions. The BASICS program is FREE.

Classes will be held at Wayside Youth and Family, 88 Lincoln Street, Framingham MA 01702. SPACE IS LIMITED.

For more information, please contact: Judi Maguire, Parent Support Coordinator

508-215-6008 judi_maguire@waysideyouth.org

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Step by Step Explanation

1. House Ways and Means Committee released their budget on April 11.

2. House Member had until April 13, at 5:00PM to file amendments to this budget to make any changes.

3.  There were 870 Budget Amendments filed.

4. Beginning on Monday, April 23 rd, we began the debate process on the proposed amendments to the Budget.

5. At the beginning of the week, each amendment is classified and grouped by subject matter, which can be found here.

6. As part of that debate, before each subject matter goes to the floor, there is an informal meeting in Room 348, where the any member of the House, of either party, can advocate for a particular budget amendment.

7. After the 348 Meeting, the House Ways and Means Committee proposes to the floor a “Consolidated Amendment” that incorporates all the amendments on that particular subject matter. If any member does not agree with the consolidate amendment, they can “pull the amendment” from the consolidated amendment and debate that particular amendment on the House Floor. That pulled amendment would then get a vote on the House Floor.

8. After all the amendments are debated, the House then votes to approve the new “Consolidated Amendment.”

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I helped pass the Green Communities Act of 2008, one of the most sweeping and historic commitments to clean energy that any state has made. Among the benefits to the Act are that the state must meet at least 20 percent of its electric load by 2020 through new, renewable generation, and that greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 will be 20 percent lower than 1990 levels.

My legislation H.2625 An Act to End Coal Burning and Use would phase out the utilization or gasification of coal by January 1, 2015

My legislation H.2024 An Act to Repower Massachusetts would create a Repower Massachusetts Emergency Task Force charged with coming up with a plan in 6 months to meet a goal of 100% emissions reduction by January 1, 2020.

Recycling

I am a co-sponsor of  H.883 The Updated Bottle Bill which would require bottle deposits for sports drinks and other types of containers that have permeated the market since the first bill was passed. 80% of bottles that require a redeemable deposit are recycled why only 22% of non-covered bottles are recycled.

In the FY2013 budget, I’ve co-sponsored amendment 484 to increase funding for DEP recycling programs.

Green Communities

On a local level, my family participates in the Ashland Community Garden and I am helping to kick off an Ashland Farmers Market, which will celebrate its opening on June 9^th. Check out AshlandFarmersMarket.com for more information.

I am a co-sponsor of HB. 765 An Act to Sustain Community Preservation. Through the Community Preservation Act, passed in 2000, communities are empowered to create revenue streams dedicated to preserving open space, creating new parks and outdoor recreational space, and preserving historical resources. It also provides matching money from the state. This update to the law would make it easier for communities to opt-in and would bolster the revenue stream for state matching money. CommunityPreservation.org has more information. I have co-sponsored amendment 737 to include this bill in the House budget.

Public Transportation

I use the commuter rail on most days that I go into the State House and have been a strong advocate for expanding public transportation, making it more reliable, and more accessible.

I worked with my colleagues in 2006, to pass language that allowed for the creation of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority which serves 11 communities including Framingham and Ashland. I have been a strong advocate for improving funding for the MWRTA and other regional transit authorities. I’ve co-sponsored amendments 395 and 396 to the House budget to improve funding for the RTAs. For more information on the MWRTA, visit MWRTA.com.

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Unrestricted General Local Aid:  Local aid is used by cities and towns to support critical municipal services, including police and fire. The state provides separate aid specifically for use to fund schools. Last year, the Legislature allocated $834 million for local aid in the annual budget. A growing economy lead to surplus revenue and the Legislature was able to allocate an additional $65 million in local aid later in the year through a supplemental budget, bringing total local aid up to $899 million. This year, the House budget funds local aid at the full $899 million. Under this budget, Framingham would receive $8.4 million in local aid, an increase of $608,442. Ashland would receive $1.14 million, an increase of $82,702 million.

Education Highlights

Chapter 70 School Funding Aid:  The House Budget increases Chapter 70 $163.5 million over FY2012 levels. This is money distributed to cities and towns to help pay for the operation of K- 12 schools. With this budget, Framingham would receive $26.5 million, a $4.5 million increase over last year. Ashland would receive $5.2 million, an increase of almost $400,000. As part of the reforms we implemented in FY2007, the House budget closes the gap between a school district’s preliminary contribution and target contribution by 15%. This is the source of the nearly $5 million increase in aid for Framingham and Ashland. While this is progress, I continue to advocate for a full closure of the gap, which would mean millions for Framingham and Ashland. To bring all districts across the state to target local aid, it would cost an additional $110 million.

Special Education Circuit Breaker (7061- 0012): The House budget increases the circuit breaker $8.5 million over FY2012, funding it at $221.6 million. This line item reimburses extraordinary costs to cities and towns from when they have send students to schools out of district to meet their educational needs.

Kindergarten Expansion Grants (7030-1002): The House budget increases funding for grants to support full day kindergarten expansion. The House budget funds these programs at $24.9 million, an increase of $2 million over FY2012.

Early Education and Child Care (Multiple): Early education and care receives a cut in both the Governor’s budget and the House budget. I’ve signed onto an amendment to increase funding for childcare programs.

Reimbursements for Busing Homeless Students (7035-0005): Under federal mandate, when a homeless child is put into a temporary housing placement within a city or town, that municipality is required to provide transportation to schools in their town of origin. The House budget includes $11.3 million to provide reimbursements of the cost. From this line item, Framingham would receive $225,000 and Ashland would receive $29,542.

Financial Literacy Pilot Programs (7061-0928): The House budget includes $250,000 for financial literacy programs. This new created line item would fund competitive grants for pilot programs in 10 public high schools.

Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment (7061-9600): This is a program that I have championed since it was first instituted in FY2007. Under federal law, all students are guaranteed an education until they have graduated from high school or turn 22. This program encourages partnerships between public colleges and universities and local schools, to educate disabled students between the ages of 18 and 22 with like aged peers on college campuses. The program is level funded at $400,000. I have filed an amendment to include an additional $200,000 to expand the program to include a residential component.

Higher Education (Multiple): The House budget funds higher education at approximately $1 billion, an increase of $44.3 million over FY2012, but still a cut from pre-recession levels. The House budget includes money to fund collective bargaining agreements. Between direct line item appropriations, retained tuition, and collective bargaining funding, UMASS will see a $25 million increase over FY2012, the State Universities will see a $10.5 million increase, and the community colleges will see a $4 million increase. The House budget also includes $7.5 million for performance funding, including $5 million dedicated solely to community colleges. I have filed an amendment to increase the funding that goes to the state scholarship program, which helps 100,000 kids in Massachusetts to pay for college.

more to come…

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“Live-blogging is a great way to bring people closer to the process and give them a chance to see how the legislature works from the inside,” Sannicandro said. “It’s a great way to bring transparency and civic engagement to my constituents. I’ve gotten positive feedback for doing this in the past and I’m looking forward to doing it again this year.”

Sannicandro has live-blogged several legislative debates in recent years. In addition to past budgets, he live-blogged the casino gaming debate last year as well as the end of the 2011 legislative session. He also hosted a public forum earlier this month in which constituents voiced their budget priorities for the coming year.

The House Ways & Means Committee released its budget Wednesday for FY2013. The budget included many items Sannicandro has prioritized, including a $164 million increase in school funding. Framingham would receive $26.5 million for school funding, an increase of $4.5 over last year. Ashland would receive $5.2 million, an increase of almost $400,000.

In addition, the budget fully funds the Unrestricted General Government Aid, which is distributed as local aid for cities and towns. It also includes an $8 million increase in special education reimbursements and $11.7 million to cover a federal mandate requiring local schools to bus homeless students to their out-of-district schools.

“I am pleased that we are prioritizing education,” Sannicandro said. “With a tight budget and challenging economic times, education is still one of the wisest investments we can make.”

Sannicandro filed amendments increasing funding for the higher education scholarship line item (7070-0065) to allow needy students to attend college in the state, as well as an amendment relative to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission, which tracks and investigates abuse claims of disabled people by caretakers. He has also co-sponsored an amendment to fund the 495/MetroWest Partnership, which has identified infrastructure needs for the economic success of the MetroWest and is working with the governor’s office to fund those projects.

The budget includes about $1.6 billion in mandatory new costs such as health care, debt services, and pensions but only an additional $940 million in additional revenue from increased wages, job growth, and sales. The budget includes no new taxes.

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Please give me your comments.

SECTION 30. Section 21 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

There shall be a board of trustees consisting of 11 members for each of the institutions named in section 5, other than the University of Massachusetts. Each board of trustees shall elect a chairman; provided, however, that in the case of community colleges, the governor shall appoint the chairman, who shall reside within the geographic region of the community college. Each community college board of trustees shall include a vocational-technical school district trustee, pursuant to section 4 of chapter 74, representing each vocational-technical school in the region, to serve as a non-voting member.

SECTION 31. Said section 21 of said chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraph:-

Each community college board of trustees shall designate a member to serve as a non-voting member of the district trustees for vocational-technical schools that share the same geographic region as the community college. The designated member shall serve as a liaison between the 2 boards for the purposes of sharing information and developing policies that promote greater interaction between the community college and the vocational-technical schools while maximizing the educational resources available to individuals seeking to learn a trade or develop targeted employment skills.

SECTION 32. Section 22 of said chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “authority”, in lines 7 and 8, the following words:- ; provided further, that the local board of trustees of a community college shall annually submit a report detailing estimates of maintenance, capital outlay budgets and proposed property acquisitions for the institution under its authority to the house and senate committees on ways and means, secretary of administration and finance and the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance on or before December 31.

SECTION 33. Said section 22 of said chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “institution”, in line 21, the following words:- ; provided, however, the council shall appoint 1 voting member to assist the board of trustees in a search for the appointment of the chief executive officer.

SECTION 34. Clause (o) of said section 22 of said chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-

Said assessment report shall include an analysis of the collaboration between the community college and vocational-technical schools and the training and job development programs implemented by the community college and vocational-technical schools.

SECTION 39. Section 4 of chapter 74 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following 2 sentences:-

Pursuant to section 21 of chapter 15A, 1 member of said board shall be designated by the district trustees to serve as a non-voting member of the board of trustees for any community college that shares the same geographic region as the independent vocational-technical school. The designated member shall serve as a liaison between the 2 boards for the purposes of sharing information and developing policies that will promote greater interaction between the vocational-technical school and the community college while maximizing the educational resources available to individuals seeking to learn a trade or develop targeted employment skills.

SECTION 40. Chapter 75 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 46 the following section:-

Section 47. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any trade secret or other proprietary information of theuniversity including that provided to the university by research sponsors or private concerns shall be exempt from the definition of public records in clause twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4.

SECTION 87. The commissioner of higher education, in consultation with the presidents of the community colleges, shall develop a funding formula for the community colleges which incorporates the allocation of appropriations to the individual community colleges based, in part, on performance. In developing the system of allocations, the commissioner and community college presidents shall consider: (1) accurate enrollment data for each college and the operational goals and needs for each college; (2) institutional performance with respect to clearly defined goals and metrics; and (3) the relationship of the allocation formula to state initiatives relative to innovation and institutional action in support of workforce development, partnerships with commonwealth businesses and industry, collaboration with state universities and vocational-technical schools, and overall revenue available to each institution.

The commissioner of higher education, in consultation with the presidents of the community colleges, shall establish the goals and metrics for measuring community college performance. The goals and metrics shall include, but not be limited to: increasing the number, and rate of completion, of degrees and certificates awarded annually; the transferability of credits among the community colleges, and to other training institutions, and to 4 year higher education institutions; alignment of degree and certificate programs with existing and emerging business and industry sectors in the commonwealth; coordinated procurement of goods and services among the community colleges and other public higher education institution, including consolidation of information technology platforms and services; and post-graduate job placement rates.

The commissioner of higher education shall submit a report including, but not limited to, the funding formula, clearly defined goals and metrics for the performance-based portion of the formula, and other recommendations relative to the promotion of stable, equitable funding of the institutions including efforts to contain the growth in student costs and borrowing.  Said report shall be filed with the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education, and the secretary of administration and finance on or before December 1, 2012.

SECTION 88. There shall be established a community college workforce grant advisory committee, hereinafter referred to as the committee, to provide recommendations to the board of higher education for grant awards to community colleges from the Community College Fund, established pursuant to section 99 of chapter 194 of the acts of 2011, to promote the development of workforce training programs and partnerships with commonwealth businesses and industry, other educational and training institutions, labor organizations, and other organizations supporting workforce development in the commonwealth.

The committee shall consist of the commissioner of higher education, or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the secretary of the executive office of education, or a designee; the secretary of labor and workforce development, or a designee; the secretary of housing and economic development, or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or a designee; the president of the Massachusetts Association of VocationalAdministrators, or a designee; the president of the Commonwealth Corporation, or a designee; the chair of the Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board Association, or a designee; the president of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, or a designee; the president and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, or a designee;  a member of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, or a designee; a member of the Governor’s Science Technology Engineering and Math Advisory Council, or a designee; and 1 member appointed by the Governor who represents organized labor. The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but each member shall be entitled to reimbursement for his actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his official duties.

The committee shall establish criteria and guidelines for the award of grants to community colleges. The criteria for the award of grants to community colleges shall focus on workforce development programs and partnerships and shall include, but not be limited to:  collaboration, coordination and partnerships with commonwealth businesses and other educational and training institutions, including vocational-technical schools, state universities and career centers; a focus on existing and emerging business and industry sectors in the commonwealth, as identified by the committee;  alignment of degree and certificate programs with regional workforce development demands; an ability or likelihood to foster high rates of completion of certificate and degree programs by students served by the program; and a record of, or explicit commitment to, successful job placement for program graduates. Partnerships with vocational schools shall include, but not be limited to, agreements to utilize facilities at vocational high schools and offer degrees and certificates that build upon current vocational offerings

The committee shall make recommendations to the board of higher education and the board shall promulgate regulations to develop a formula for required matching grants to be made by business and industry partners of applicants. Required matching grants shall range from 30 cents for each state dollar invested to $3 for each state dollar invested. The lowest match amounts shall be reserved for those programs with the highest concentration of credits and credentials that articulate with other educational degrees or certifications at other educational and training institutions. The committee shall establish a formula for the geographic distribution of grant awards among the community colleges.

The committee shall solicit grant applications from community colleges and review such applications according to the criteria so established. The committee shall establish timely deadlines for the submission of applications and recommendations of grant awards including provision for an expedited process of consideration and recommendation in instances when the secretary of housing and economic development and secretary of labor and workforce development jointly certify the need for timely evaluation and disposition of the application. The board of higher education shall make the final determination as to the distribution of the grants. No more than $12,000,000 in grants shall be awarded from the fund in any given fiscal year.

Each grant recipient shall submit an annual report for the duration of the program or partnership funded through a grant to the committee for its review.

The committee shall submit an annual report to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate who shall forward the same to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education, the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, and the joint committee on labor and workforce development on or before December 31. Said report shall incluide a list of grant recommendations and recipients, including the amount of each grant. The report shall include a current assessment of the progress of each program funded through the grant program and the progress of the committee’s activity, including any recommendations for legislation. The report shall be made available on a public website.

The board of higher education, in consultation with the committee, may promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of this section.

SECTION 91. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the board of higher education shall, within 120 days of the effective date of this act, establish and issue guidelines and procedures for the search, selection, appointment, compensation, evaluation and removal of the chief executive officers of the community colleges. Such guidelines shall be established pursuant to and without limitation to the generality of the board’s responsibilities in sections 9 and 21 of chapter 15A of the General Laws to approve the appointment and removal and to fix the compensation of the chief executive officers, and in furtherance of the board’s responsibility in clause (u) of said section 9 of said chapter 15A to establish coordination between and among post-secondary public institutions and to resolve conflicts of policies or operations arising in public higher education.

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Today, the Ashland- Medway girls hockey team visited the State House. Sen. Karen Spilka, who brought the team to the State House, took them into the Senate Chamber during session and introduced them to her colleagues. Rep. Carolyn Dykema and I got to show them around the House chamber and tell them a little bit about the history of the House.

Do you know the story behind the sacred cod and the holy mackerel? If you or your group wants a tour of the state house call me office at 617-722-2013 and I’d be happy to set one up for you.

During formal session yesterday, the House took up two bills to bolster public safety, one to require emergency medical response plans in public schools and the other to protect call and volunteer firefighter.

The emergency medical response bill will apply to public district schools and charter schools. Its important because in an emergency, response preparedness can make the difference between life and death. This is something that a lot of schools already; we were just making sure that they all do.

Most call and volunteer firefighters have other employment as their primary job. Currently, they are protected from being fired for arriving late to work because they were fighting a fire. The legislation we passed expands that protection to include natural disasters, emergency medical response, and hazardous material incidents.

The truth of the matter is our brave volunteer firefighters answer the call whenever and wherever their community needs them, and that’s not just to fight fires. Their role in protecting the public goes farther than that and this bill will update their protections to reflect this reality.

Next week, the House budget is expected to be released and we have formal session again. This Monday, I hosted a public forum on the budget and asked people to tell me their priorities. We had a great conversation and the overriding theme of peoples’ comments was the importance of education. If you want to share your priorities with me you still can on my website tomworksforus.com/mybudgetpriorities.

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