NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Finance Committee on Wednesday recommended a fiscal 2027 spending plan of $22 million that had been approved by the School Committee on Tuesday. 

 

The spending plan of $22,393,775 is an increase of $757,554 over this year, or 3.5 percent. It will be funded through the Chapter 70 state education grant estimated at $16,796,682 (based on the governor's budget); school-choice funds of $1,446,419, up $506,411; and local funding of $4,150,673 (also based on the governor's budget), up $161,942 or 4.06 percent.

 

Based on new numbers from the House and Senate, the city's portion could drop to $4,049, 353.

 

"A lot of our advocacy this year is around Chapter 70 and the various funding formulas," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan during the public hearing preceding the committee meeting. "We as a School Committee, but certainly I as an individual and other members of the administrative team, have participated in various sessions to advocate for more funding from Chapter 70, a massive part of our district budget."

 

Chapter 70 is critical to the school budget, with nearly 80 percent of its funding coming through the state. 

 

Director of School Finance and Operations Nancy Rauscher explained to the Finance Committee that the schools have "hugely benefited from that over the last few years, with significant increases" based on the district's needs and community profile.

 

"This is the first year that we've been considered a minimum aid district," she said. "What that means is you're held harmless. You're still getting what you were given ... but the addition is just a minimum eight addition. This year, it's $75, per student. So it literally is 75 times the number of students, and at that time it was 1,192 students, when they did this."