Good News, Bad News

Good news first, today:

A bunch of local and state political and business leaders introduced the North Central Massachusetts Economic Development Council yesterday (Telegram, Sentinel). Funded with $250,000, the council will try to lure business to the entire region.

Look around the region, and it's obvious business is interested. It's relatively close to the Big City, there's good highway access all over the place, Devens is growing, and the Fitchburg/Leominster area is seeing the infiltration of big chains that -- for better or worse -- comes along with the identification of a critical mass of population and spending power.

Fitchburg is one of 26 communities in the consortium, so the city won't be the lone focus of the enterprise. Hopefully, however, it's one more tool for the city to use in revitalizing downtown and the city as a whole.

Individual states -- and individual regions in those states -- are fighting for every new business opportunity. Hopefully the council produces new opportunities where the region was lacking before.

Now, the bad news.

School Superintendent Andrew Ravenelle warns the state is about to start rattling its sword at a school system that is horribly behind on MCAS scores and other areas.

As usual, the culprit is a lack of resources. There are only six microscopes in the biology class. Class sizes at South Street are at about 24 students.

School officials note additional state money doesn't come with the Department of Education's warnings. So, the district is stuck with what it has.

The city plays under the same rules for state aid as every other city or town, fair or not. The constant cries for state money can be joined with the other 300-something districts looking for more cash. The city's commitment to ed money, you may remember, is suspect. Remember, Mayor Dan Mylott's original budget actually cut $100,000 of education spending out of the city side of the budget. It was eventually replaced, sort of, but the city did not make a stride forward on funding its own schools.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Education must be the chief concern for the city. It needs to start with a top to bottom review of how the School Department spends its money, and identify areas that are overspent and areas that are underspent. The city must also increase its investment in the schools. New budget dollars, when they're available, should be targeted to education as much as possible.

New homes are being built in Fitchburg at a fantastic rate, wherever developers can build one. If you live near Rollstone Road, you've noticed a home sold a few months ago was subdivided for a new home tucked in the corner of the property. For now, people are still moving into the city. But if the schools don't shape up, many are going to move out when their kids can't use a microscope in biology class.

Money doesn't cure all the ills of a school system. Good management, quality teachers, and energy and commitment from top to bottom all play a role. But until the mayor and the City Council make education a chief priority, they're sending the message that education is a back seat issue in the city.