Brockton received an unprecedented $118 million in federal ESSER funds on top of its regular school budget. The money was supposed to tackle learning loss and improve student outcomes. Instead, test scores remain stagnant, literacy gaps persist, and families are left asking: where did all that money go?
At the Brockton Candidates Night Forum, candidates had just 60 seconds to answer complex questions about the future of our schools. In this article, Stephen Pina expands on his responses, tackling Brockton’s 20-year budget deficits, 49% truancy rate, low test scores, and wasteful spending. With his Champion City Plan, Pina outlines how he will cut consultants, strengthen safety, support teachers, and restore academic standards to make Brockton’s schools — and city — strong again.
Brockton taxpayers deserve to know where their money goes. My plan for a Real-Time Financial Dashboard will track every dollar in our schools—live, online, and accessible to every resident. No more excuses, no more fiscal fog. Just accountability, transparency, and honest leadership.