The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced the end of receivership–state control–of Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) in July. The attacks on unions, pay, and working conditions that came with receivership are driving educators out of the district. Unfortunately, DESE decided to maintain many anti-worker measures from receivership as “Exit Assurances.”
Exit assurances mean that educators will be “consulted” about pay and evaluations, but do not have the right to bargain collectively for competitive salaries. This state-level Democratic Party policy mirrors attacks on federal workers’ bargaining rights by the Trump administration. Additionally, educators will have no say over the length of the school year and day, caseloads for special education and English Language Development staff, and classroom sizes. Denying the Holyoke Teachers Association (HTA) the right to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions is fundamentally undemocratic.
Under receivership, Holyoke Public Schools became one of the lowest-paying districts in the state despite having a longer-than-average work year, work day, and more professional development requirements. Additionally, the district’s refusal to honor assault leave pay for educators injured at work has left many feeling betrayed. These factors contribute to a 30% overall turnover rate (triple the national rate). The number of experienced educators has fallen from 95% pre-receivership to 54% in 2024, as educators leave the district for safer workplaces.
Educators’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions, and if educators are underpaid, unsafe, and over-stressed, students are suffering too. A good contract for educators is a step toward better supporting students and preparing them to succeed after graduation.
Massachusetts, a Democratic Party-controlled state, undermines public education and unions by enforcing receivership collective bargaining restrictions and banning public sector workers from striking. Working people cannot look to the Republicans–who campaign on slashing funding for public schools and special education while subsidizing private education for the wealthy and religious schools–as an alternative. Both corporate parties’ anti-worker policies demonstrate the need for a new, independent, working-class party in the United States. Working-class families and educators in Holyoke could help build such a party by running independent, pro-labor candidates to flip the school board and city council.
The Independent Socialist Group calls for:
- Respect collective bargaining rights in Holyoke! Drop the exit assurances and bring the School Committee to the bargaining table.
- Honor the Assault Leave clause and compensate educators injured at work.
- Fully fund public education, including strong contracts that retain educators and reduce class sizes and caseloads to best support students.
- Repeal the public sector strike ban in Massachusetts.
- End the MTA’s support for corporate parties! Reallocate union campaign donations from the Democratic and Republican parties to independent, pro-labor candidates for school board and city council.
Independent Socialist Group 