Linda Dorcena Forry

Today, Representative Forry joined Governor Patrick as he unveiled a plan to reorganize community colleges and prepare Massachusetts residents for middle skills jobs.  The Governor’s plan includes supplying $10 million in funding to better coordinate efforts amongst Massachusetts community colleges through increased oversight by the Board of Higher Education.  “This is a good first step towards establishing a comprehensive educational system here in Massachusetts and really beginning a conversation about how we link the great programs we already have in place—from kindergarten to 12^th grade and all the way through college,” said Representative Forry. “Community colleges are a critical piece of our overall educational system, and we need to ensure that students educated through two year community college programs, for example, can use those credits to continue on toward earning four year degrees at our state universities. I look forward to seeing the details of the proposal and working with the Governor, his administration and my colleagues in the legislature to bring this comprehensive plan to fruition.”   The Governor’s proposal will also allocate more state funding to local community college programs that focus on job training. These changes were announced in the hopes of meeting the growing need for middle skills workers in the Commonwealth and filling an estimated 120,000 new jobs.  The announcement preempted President Obama’s call this evening at the State of the Union for states to invest more in higher education and prepare Americans to go back to work.

In addition to the Governor’s plan, Representative Forry has been working in the state legislature to advance educational access and opportunities for Massachusetts residents and especially low-income families.  She filed two bills this session to begin closing the gap between the skill level of Massachusetts workers and the growing needs of the state economy.  H1858, An Act to Promote Financial Stability and Asset Development, would remove state-imposed barriers to asset development for low-to-moderate income residents of the Commonwealth receiving support through the Department of Transitional Assistance.  It will also promote gainful employment and financial stability by encouraging parents and workers utilizing transitional assistance to concurrently further their education.  The second key bill Rep. Forry filed, H3803, An Act to Improve the Educational Rewards Grant Program to Assist Low Income Workers, would codify the Educational Rewards Grant so that it can continue to help low-income students enroll in and successfully complete education or training leading to identified high-demand jobs.  The grant is currently not available due to lack of funding.  Specifically, the bill preserves the only state grant available to low-income students, enrolled in college less than half time or participating in a non-degree program. Eligible students may receive up to $3,000 per academic year.