Why Braintree schools will ask town for more money

BRAINTREE − Higher out-of-district special education costs will force school officials to make an unusual request for a supplemental appropriation for the current budget, School Superintendent James Lee told the school committee's finance and operations subcommittee Tuesday night.

The exact amount of the request depends on how much additional state aid for special education the town receives, but Lee estimates it will be between $500,000 and $1 million.

"There is no alternative to this scenario," Lee said. "Many districts are going through the same thing."

The superintendent said the state has approved a 14% increase in tuitions for special education programs, which are required under state and federal law. Since special education tuitions account for about $10 million of Braintree's $74.73 school budget, the increase is about $700,000.

Lee said there are also increases in transportation costs for special education students.

Mayor Erin Joyce is aware that the request will be coming, the superintendent said. If she approves the request, she must submit it to the town council for approval.

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The most likely source for the money is the town's free cash reserve, which is made up of revenues that exceeded estimates and money not spent in past budget years. The state must certify how much free cash the town has before any of it can be spent, and that has not happened.

At its Jan. 16 meeting, the town council was forced to borrow $57,000 to buy a replacement vehicle for the animal control officer because no other source of money was available.

Lee also told the subcommittee a review of the school system's fees will be part of the 2024-25 budget process.

Lee said he would like to introduce scannable cards, similar to ID badges, for use as bus passes. The bus riders would scan the cards when getting on and off the buses, allowing the schools to keep track of the students, he said.

"To me, it is a safety issue," Lee said. "I think the technology is critical."

The system would cost between $17,000 and $18,000 and would be paid for through an increase in the annual bus fee, he said.

Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: More money needed for Braintree schools, special education