Brockton’s $118 Million COVID Windfall: No Results, No Accountability
Between 2020 and 2023, Brockton Public Schools received an unprecedented $118 million in federal COVID relief — through ESSER I, II, and III. These dollars were in addition to the regular school budget funded by Chapter 70 state aid and the city’s contribution. The funds were meant to help students recover from learning loss, improve school safety, and invest in long-term success.
But here’s the truth: for all that money, student outcomes barely budged.
- MCAS Scores: In 2023, only 27% of Brockton students were meeting grade-level expectations in English Language Arts and just 18% in Math. That’s virtually unchanged from pre-pandemic levels. The supposed “learning recovery” never happened.
- Reading Benchmarks: Even after pouring money into new programs, 47% of Brockton students tested “well below benchmark” in literacy at the start of 2024. By spring, nearly 40% were still failing to meet basic reading standards.
- Graduation Rates: While officials tout a graduation rate above 80%, the proficiency scores prove many of those diplomas aren’t backed by actual skills. Kids are being pushed through, not prepared.
So where did the money go?
Instead of focusing on reading, math, and parental choice, much of the $118 million went to new projects, staff expansions, and programs with no proven track record. The 2024 independent audit even flagged “community mentor programs” and other initiatives funded with ESSER dollars as being poorly tracked, with no accountability for results.
This is the heart of the problem: money was spent, but learning did not improve.
What Should Have Been Done Instead
If we had followed a philosophy of results, transparency, and parental empowerment, those dollars could have been a turning point.
- Direct Literacy Investment
Every child reading by grade three should have been the non-negotiable goal. Instead of fads, we needed phonics-based, Core Knowledge-aligned programs and teacher training to match. - One-Time Improvements, Not Permanent Payroll
Federal dollars should have paid for capital upgrades — HVAC, safety, technology — that give decades of value without saddling taxpayers with ongoing costs. - Tutoring with Accountability
Money should have gone to structured tutoring programs with clear benchmarks. If students didn’t improve, programs would be cut. Simple as that. - Transparency for Parents
Every parent should have had access to a public dashboard showing exactly where funds were spent and whether test scores improved. Instead, the money disappeared into opaque budget lines and “catch-all” accounts.
The red and green lines show MCAS ELA and Math proficiency — flat or declining.
The purple line shows reading benchmarks, where nearly 40% of kids still tested “well below” even after years of funding.
It makes the story clear: money went up, results did not.
The Bottom Line
Brockton received more than enough to turn things around. $118 million could have been the foundation for real reform. Instead, it was wasted — either on projects unrelated to academics or on education initiatives that delivered no return on investment.
Families are left with the same broken system, and now city leaders are preparing to raise taxes to cover the deficits left behind.
That’s not leadership. That’s failure.
It kind of makes you understand why the mayor is pushing so hard for his hand-picked candidate — the one he helped appoint — to keep a seat on the committee. Because if real accountability takes hold, it won’t just expose the school department’s failures, it’ll shine a light on the mayor’s own poor leadership decisions that he’d rather keep hidden.
As a candidate for School Committee, I believe in treating every dollar as if it came from your own pocket — because it did. Brockton doesn’t need more spending; we need accountability, higher standards, and real results for students.
Strong Schools, Strong City. That’s the Champion City Project.
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