The Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA") is a quasi-independent government authority created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools. The MSBA strives to work with local communities to create affordable, sustainable, and energy efficient schools across Massachusetts.
The MSBA, which has a dedicated revenue stream of one penny of the state’s 6.25-percent sales tax, is collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest in finding the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe, sound, and sustainable learning environments.
The MSBA has made more than $16.7 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns, and regional school districts for school construction projects. Instead of waiting years for reimbursement, districts now receive payments from the MSBA as costs are incurred, usually within 15 days of submitting a request through the MSBA’s online Pro-Pay System.
Achievements
To fulfill its mission of bringing reform and innovation to the school building process, the MSBA has accomplished the following:
- Since 2004, we have made $16.7 billion in payments to cities, towns and regional school districts
- The MSBA’s fully-funded Commissioning process, has a total value of over $28 million in work orders
- We have completed final audits of 1,167 projects, totaling over $18.7 billion in submitted costs
- Since our inception, the MSBA has participated in, or is currently working on, over 600 projects state-wide
- Currently there are a total of 99 districts, representing 220 projects, either active or completed in the Accelerated Repair Program
- Through partnering with districts, we have improved learning facilities for over 600,000 students across the Commonwealth
- We have made over 1,750 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of the MSBA’s review and due diligence process
- We developed a data based enrollment projection methodology in order to build right-size schools
- We have completed Needs Surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2016. Need Surveys are conducted to assess the condition of all of the elementary and secondary public schools across the Commonwealth
