[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6283320,"mediaKeyId","2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f","parentId",2588990,"title","Some parents urge school committee to drop —Navigating the Future— proposals; committee asks Building Needs Task Force to clarify data","audioSeconds",6059,"startMs",789000,"endMs",6848000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f&start=789&end=6848","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f/thumbnail_789000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6283320/Falmouth-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Some-parents-urge-school-committee-to-drop-Navigating-the-Future-proposals-committee-asks-Building-Needs-Task-Force-to-clarify-data","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283320-1bcf42084869daf97af3accb8a42f041/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421832&Signature=Ir-5qWNnXY5hhWk92qIqSIAbw86d9QTi-iiAK5UrGiCofg5WdCD-fkI-RskSn-x5k4rzenDiXtIl2EA4bCuXoKPdts9nKbLMxgG28rwWVMF1P-kcffR7flT~thsNWn8Stq1TM04~~3uvKbHrMOSR3paC9DcD18HPNGx~eUdtzafMmTkpot6l5m7WJlv9O1TcHWOdR43y6ttctKRjeDUI3XMHCTiaa91C-0c1AaHQg2FAEufFiB3GSTzwAL9EPkBxFtZwMXETYDTsUAnixrYC6v-LkykkXRmVwxaA3CJ-x0-2ZvyieypbJt5cshr6pfE0tLK1f3p1IlB4B4y-RN~FTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-12T14:15:05Z","article","A group of parents and residents used the School Committee's March 11 meeting to press the committee and the Building Needs Task Force to reassess a simultaneous set of proposals called \u0013Navigating the Future.\u0014 Several speakers said the proposals do not align with the district's external enrollment and facilities study (referred to in the meeting as the NASDAC report) and urged the committee to rescind the local proposals and ask the task force to start fresh with consistent data.

Public comment and requests: Amanda McGonagall asked the committee to \"take a vote to eliminate the navigating future proposals and start fresh,\" arguing the external analyses presented by the district offered different options and that the locally produced proposals lacked the process and engagement the speaker sought. Amanda emphasized concerns about potential school consolidation and staff impacts.

Committee discussion and next steps: Committee members and others on the dais emphasized that the Building Needs Task Force has the mandate to analyze facilities options and that the committee should not preempt the task force's work. Several members asked the task force to: (1) provide clearer enrollment detail for pre-K and kindergarten cohorts, (2) explain long-term projections used in the external study, and (3) identify where the district's local proposals diverge from the outside report. One member said the external report suggested enrollments would level off rather than continuously decline, and asked the task force for a deeper dive into assumptions.

Why it matters: The outcome of the Building Needs Task Force and the district's planning decisions could affect school assignments, building renovation timelines, and programming in neighborhoods. Multiple speakers said the community's trust in the process depends on transparent data and broad stakeholder engagement.

Process clarity: School Committee Chair and staff reminded members that the committee cannot act on public comment during the comment period but members may request agenda items. At the meeting's end a committee member asked that an agenda item be scheduled to consider rescinding the Navigating the Future proposals; committee leadership said it would be placed on a future agenda for deliberation.

Ending: The Building Needs Task Force will continue its work; committee members said they expect the task force to coordinate closely with the external study authors to clarify enrollment assumptions and to return recommendations to the School Committee for formal consideration.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/11/25 School Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Several parents called on the School Committee to withdraw a local set of school-configuration proposals known as \u0013Navigating the Future\u0014, saying those options conflict with an external enrollment-and-facilities study presented to the committee.","taxTitle","Falmouth Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",61112,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6283325,"School committee set to vote next meeting on three-plus-two bus contract after parent complaints; GPS tracking promised",232,1566000,1798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f&start=1566&end=1798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f/thumbnail_1566000.jpg","/articles/6283325/Falmouth-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/School-committee-set-to-vote-next-meeting-on-three-plus-two-bus-contract-after-parent-complaints-GPS-tracking-promised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283325-d27668718cf7404bbfafa9ca3eebabbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421832&Signature=LHXax8JCtpJzMLeKYQ-mtuFf~F46TErF~STwb-HtXCHm7jT-G6SJWZrmvMDoV4S9W7bEEmLcut7p4XZeo8gm1gqRPyAB9tSFYNqJ7-4uWVRkpjh2ZByMZMRDUzRQiQ1keT701cvYH7gVksV94V86yNdRbAxZE-Pwn3TjozJ86oUoHwUOLVT5hPA4ujxIbHxd0zGlNi-k6kgQ4scBxHaX3PbaipfxoY49u9rPWlyuTs3r~jfj19LI6hGN7dtKboG0jxtrkyW4xtyq36AS1BDj4H~k6375YE0vBk-vTntcdIATLFOoLCFm26V1JtXM8jnlg3K-jpxDgaPRgzOv3rdJ4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Falmouth Public Schools staff recommended at the March 11 meeting that the School Committee approve a new three-year contract with a two-year extension option for the district's school bus services, continuing with the incumbent provider, Lucini (the current vendor), and schedule a final vote for the committee's March 25 meeting.

\"The recommendation ... is to go with Lucini again, for another contract of 3 plus 2 years,\" Paul (Finance Director) told the committee after an outside adviser reviewed two bidders.

Why it matters: Committee members said they value continuity in transportation but voiced persistent parent concerns about late buses and lack of live tracking. The head of transportation (Aidan Malloy was cited by a public commenter) and staff said software upgrades and new bus trackers will allow district staff and parents to see buses live and receive notifications.

Public comment prompted questions: During public comment earlier in the meeting, parent Andy Asantos described two incidents involving his 9-year-old son, who uses a wheelchair. He said the district initially declined to provide a handicap-accessible bus after an early-season injury and later that his son was skipped during a detour for several days; he said communications from staff said the bus could not make the turn during the detour. \"It really sickens me to think that placing convenience and scheduling ahead of a child's safety is a priority,\" Asantos said. He urged better responsiveness and said the family's top concern was safety.

Administrator response: Committee members asked whether transportation staff and senior headquarters know bus locations. Paul and other staff said headquarters and the head of transportation already have tracking information and that the district is upgrading its parent-facing software so families can track buses in real time. \"The software will be able to track those buses live and you'll be able to eventually as a parent, you'll be able to track where the buses [are],\" Paul said.

Procurement details: Alliance Education Associates, the district's adviser, and district staff said the non-incumbent bidder raised concerns about capacity, driver recruitment and prior experience meeting the minimum requirement of holding three contracts with districts that operate 10+ buses. The committee's procedural question about vote timing was answered: the committee votes on the vendor selection first and then approves contract terms later; the vote is scheduled for March 25.

Next steps: The committee will take a formal vote on the recommended three-plus-two contract on March 25. Staff were asked to provide committee members additional detail on rollout timing for bus tracking and parent notification features before that meeting.

Ending: Committee members said they will continue to press for timely parent notifications and tracking to reduce missed pickups and long delays.

","Officials recommended renewing the district bus contract with current contractor Lucini (3+2 years) and told the committee that live GPS tracking and parent notifications will be rolled out; a parent told the committee he faced repeated failures in school transportation for his wheelchair-bound child.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6283329,"School officials warn loss of federal grants would sharply increase town budget request; special-education and Title I supports singled out",3189,1621000,4810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f&start=1621&end=4810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f/thumbnail_1621000.jpg","/articles/6283329/Falmouth-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/School-officials-warn-loss-of-federal-grants-would-sharply-increase-town-budget-request-special-education-and-Title-I-supports-singled-out","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283329-59f9a63600c1ee84ec69e6d1fd3cac5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421832&Signature=jI~9mwBvEeJ7cUkd47XAGcWn3nlGa2gzb37xgqVvxpyHm3KSzleQlwYf3LxeMzwQUvA2r9Uo6NzyiWFhfgI8r3jbCoK07JpRm8qVsM2Fy3uXeTzFf~1t6HMugD1jh1Q9lzHq8ZVxdyThWQgUcQiFVanTjV3TeX2PgKB-~TS-s-oHSTe9pgJZnydQp3TSF0ryoWFEPRHJ2dkwDt0RT9wdfczh76Cc3RDQ5lGSa~Y4-1DY8wd0NmwsRSPULWGU~BnHSmFdPVXgUyTfXqAN-lna~ovRXLasU6vrbtAbwkNalOJ-AeFrTLdgHZSbNQ1rlrF4U7fIahexSfXLOIPkGSsC2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Falmouth Public Schools finance and operations leaders told the School Committee on March 11 that federal grants now at risk in Washington represent a significant portion of the district budget and that cuts would substantially raise the district's town funding request for fiscal 2026.

\"We have roughly $1,630,000 in grants, today,\" Paul (Finance Director) said, adding that if those grants were eliminated the district's budget request would increase from about 5.5% to roughly 8.3%. Paul and other administrators urged the committee and the public to consider how reductions would affect services for multilingual learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students.

Why it matters: School officials said the at-risk federal dollars underwrite a range of services that are embedded in classroom instruction and support, not stand-alone programs that can simply be cut without changing how the district operates. Administrators and teachers said that loss of the grants would affect staff coaching, summer programs, out-of-district tuition offsets and specialized services.

Details from the presentation: Paul summarized the district's student populations and the grants tied to them. Multilingual learners make up about 7.8% of the student body (up from about 4.4% in FY20); the district receives a Title III federal grant in the low tens of thousands and supplements that locally. Students with disabilities comprise roughly 24% of the district's enrollment, up from about 18%; special-education grants (IDEA) provide a major offset for out-of-district tuition. Economically disadvantaged students now represent roughly 41.2% of enrollment, and Title I supports reading coaches and schoolwide reading instruction across five schools. The district also receives Perkins funding to support career and technical education.

Paul described the district's approach to a recent spike in out-of-district special-education tuition: the budget began the year with a projected $2.8 million in tuition but required a revision upward to about $3.4 million after late student placements and needs emerged. To cover the current-year increase the district drew on stabilization funds and planned a request to town meeting for a further draw in April; even after those steps officials project a shortfall of about $258,000 for the next fiscal year unless additional state relief arrives.

Circuit-breaker timing explained: Paul outlined the state's circuit-breaker reimbursement timing and an unusual provision. If out-of-district tuition rises more than 25% the state may accelerate some reimbursement into the current year, but that only shifts cash timing; the overall obligation remains. The district will not know whether it receives accelerated aid until May, he said.

CPAC and special-education context: Sandy Capstanvelas, Director of Student Services, delivered the annual Special Education Parent Advisory Council update (CPAC). She described parent workshops, IEP-related supports and planned family-learning events. Sandy and committee members stressed the role of federal IDEA and related grants in funding contracted services, assistive technology, professional development and early-childhood special-education staffing.

Administration statement on DEI and state guidance: Laurie (superintendent) read excerpts of a recent Commonwealth memo and reaffirmed the district's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in schools. Several administrators and teachers described DEI work as integrated across instruction, student supports and extracurriculars.

What officials said about contingency planning: Committee members asked whether the district had contingency plans if federal grants are cut. Laurie and Paul said the finance office had modeled cuts and discussed scenarios with the town and finance committee, and that most of the district budget (about 84%–85%) is staffing. \"The only place that we would be able to make up that difference would be through our staffing,\" one administrator said, adding that the kinds of reductions required would significantly change program offerings and class sizes.

CPPI (early childhood) grant and records questions: Paul also reviewed the district's recent application for a phased EEC CPPI (early-childhood partnership) grant. He said the district applied with two community partners and that the application was denied. Paul addressed public concern over records requests tied to the grant: he said an initial, incomplete draft workbook had accidentally been supplied in response to a records request while the correct workbook had been submitted to the EEC as the official application. He told the committee the EEC received the correct materials and that no CPPI funds were awarded to Falmouth under that application.

Next steps: Administrators said they will continue to brief town meeting members and the finance committee, pursue any eligible state relief, and update the School Committee when the state circuit-breaker decision is known in May. Several committee members urged clear public communications about which school services depend on federal grants.

Ending: School leaders asked residents to consider how grant reductions would affect specific services such as the Summer Language Academy, reading coaches, vocational programs, contracted therapies and out-of-district placements, all of which Paul described as heavily grant-supported.

","Falmouth school finance staff told the School Committee that losing federal education grants would push next year's budget increase from about 5.5% to roughly 8.3%, and officials urged the public and town leaders to consider the effect on multilingual learners, students with disabilities and Title I reading services.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6283315,"Public hearing on school choice: committee recommends four seats per grade; residents ask how school-choice revenue is used",153,8670000,8823000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f&start=8670&end=8823","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2588990-6606d2f2f28867d1eaa77e42057a759f/thumbnail_8670000.jpg","/articles/6283315/Falmouth-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Public-hearing-on-school-choice-committee-recommends-four-seats-per-grade-residents-ask-how-school-choice-revenue-is-used","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283315-96316cb500b7ff48580127115031c380/orig.mp4?Expires=1770421832&Signature=HEWmAJVorRw4G5NOXy7TuB6IMLBBoHzDgDOL2K3AbdHAzNA~mhTM3UnrzS4MGCvxpEJ-8m3ivnvUhbqvZikmhh0bhG8gvkDHzlP17AynybY1-l1V8FtCIpeVOmtPMFsqaH0utk8bH9xz5sSfa433wtUHGW9yM4ZlfTO2cU3tPCfAzAEDsJaTtvqKWt8BD-IZklepkkhywNyJJojd~qGADyIjTJwCV-FECFvvJqBL3WIsSogI2jScRZY8aHuMIIG3gqqyje75RFJa8THTA6DvDoB8~fvUXYh7zvE2z5l2IvZTYrYgAJCjqZoMcN8QGzcQMqPFSg6kyrCQfp~ggvwyZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School Committee opened a public hearing on March 11 about the district's school-choice seats and recommended keeping the number of open seats at four per grade in grades 1 through 11 for the coming year.

Procedure and recommendation: During the hearing the committee reiterated the recommendation that the district offer four seats in each grade (grades 1\u0011) under the state school-choice program; the committee will formally vote on the choice policy at the next meeting as part of the hearing process.

Questions from the public: Residents asked for detail about how school-choice revenue is applied to district budgets. One attendee asked whether the money from choice students covers the cost of educating them or whether the funds are used to add programming. Paul (Finance Director) said the district receives roughly $1,053,000 in school-choice revenue (the figure was described in the meeting as \"about a million 53,000 in school choice funds\") and that those funds have supported things such as technology investments, curriculum (for example, an i-Ready math purchase), field trips and other programming. He said the rationale is that school-choice enrollment uses existing capacity and the funds operate as an offset to district expenses rather than prompting program cuts for resident students.

Why it matters: Committee members and residents said they see school choice as a signal of confidence in the district and a source of discretionary funding that the committee has used to support curricular investments. Members asked for ongoing clarity about how choice funds are budgeted.

Discussion about maintaining enrollment and community confidence: At least one resident said the public debate over facilities planning had created uncertainty and asked how the district plans to reassure families considering Falmouth as a choice option. Committee members said marketing, clear communication and program quality all help retain and attract choice students.

Next steps: The hearing record will remain open until the committee takes a formal vote at its next scheduled meeting, and staff said they would provide members with additional budget breakout information on school-choice revenue use if requested.

Ending: Committee chairs asked members of the public to submit follow-up questions in writing and noted the committee will continue to monitor enrollment and program impacts as the choice policy is finalized.

","At a public hearing the committee proposed four choice seats for grades 1\u0011 and 11; parents asked how school-choice tuition payments are applied to district programs and whether choice enrollment affects services for resident students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Some parents urge school committee to drop —Navigating the Future— proposals; committee asks Building Needs Task Force to clarify data

School committee set to vote next meeting on three-plus-two bus contract after parent complaints; GPS tracking promised

School officials warn loss of federal grants would sharply increase town budget request; special-education and Title I supports singled out

Public hearing on school choice: committee recommends four seats per grade; residents ask how school-choice revenue is used