Sen. Chang-Díaz Receives Education Award

Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz was honored last week for her work in reforming a state education system which, in one area of Massachusetts, had been misusing funds.

Chang-Diaz, along with Rep. Alice Peisch of Wellesley, received the 2012 Walter G. Turner Award from the National Association of Educational Service Agencies for her work as co-chair of an Education Committee.

Once it was discovered that The Merrimack Special Education Collaborative, and other collaboratives around the state, had been allegedly misusing funds, the Education Committee held a series of oversight hearings on financial abuses, according to a press statement. Chang-Diaz’ filed a collaboratives reform bill that would be the first piece of legislation filed in 2012.

“Since the day I was elected to office, creating greater accountability and transparency in government has been one of my top priorities, so I’m extremely honored to receive this award for that work,” she said in a statement. “The new collaboratives law will ensure that financial abuses in collaboratives never go unchecked again, while also allowing the good work of collaboratives to continue. It will benefit all students, their families, and the taxpayers.”