Schools

School Committee Unanimously Approves Budget: $110.685 Million

The Framingham School District is still recommending a budget $2.46 million more than what the Framingham Chief Financial Officer will recommend to Framingham Town Meeting to approve this spring.

The Framingham School Committee unanimously approved Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott's recommend budget of $110,685,437 for the 2014-15 school year.

The $110.685 million budget is $2.462 million more than what the town's chief financial officer is recommending Town Meeting support this spring.

Framingham Town Meeting will have the final say on a budget number.

Framingham CFO Mary Ellen Kelly is recommending a budget of $108.222 million for Framingham Public Schools, which is a significant increase from the current school budget of $102 million.

Originally, Scott had proposed a $111.65 million dollar budget, or a $9.5 million increase over his current budget.

In mid-March, Scott lowered his budget request by $1.266 million.

The CFO is recommending the Framingham Public Schools operate under a level-services budget for Fiscal Year 2015, at an estimated $106 million, or about a 4.5 percent increase. A level services budget would allow for the schools to maintain current staffing and expenses but not to hire or add programs. 

School Committee member Andy Limeri said there have been years when the CFO has recommended a number less than the current budget.

The CFO is also recommending an additional $1.2 million to the public school district to be used to open a ninth elementary school in town to deal with increased enrollment and to improve the district.  About $530,000 is needed to open the King Elementary School.

The CFO and Scott are now $2.46 million apart.

In approving the budget, Limeri specifically included in the motion that Scott continue to work with the CFO and the Framingham Town Manager to reach a compromise budget number.

Framingham School Committee member David Miles said if Tuesday night was not his final meeting with the School Committee he would have recommended for the budget vote to be tabled, until there was more discussion and more information.

Miles, chose not to seek re-election to the Committee. He is the longest serving member on the Committee at 12 years. Tuesday night was also the last School Committee meeting for Carol Phalen, who chose not to seek re-election after 5 years.


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