During the Good of the Order at the Aug. 8 School Committee meeting, members urged sustained outreach to help the public understand how school budgets are set, how Chapter 70 funding and charter tuition affect Franklin’s bottom line, and how municipal accounting choices can complicate cross-town comparisons.

One committee member said: “I think we need to make sure folks are aware of budgets and situations and what not,” and recommended that the committee and administration expand education about Chapter 70, charter school tuitions and municipal line items that sometimes appear inside the town budget rather than the school operating budget.

The superintendent noted that some costs — including utilities, some field maintenance and other services — are managed on the municipal side, and that those figures can affect simple percentage comparisons between towns. He also said Chapter 70 reporting and certain town charges are reported on specific dates, such as the Sept. 30 school funding report, which can confuse comparisons if viewers do not account for timing and accounting differences.

A FinCom member in the audience, Ken Ajoku, was cited as raising apples‑to‑apples comparison concerns at a recent finance committee meeting; committee members asked staff to prepare clearer comparative tables that separate municipal-held costs (for example, insurance and maintenance) from school operating costs so residents can better judge Franklin’s spending level relative to peer towns.

Committee members also discussed potential local revenue opportunities — including staff childcare at Pond Street — and encouraged robust public engagement ahead of any future override discussions.

No formal action was taken; members asked the administration to prepare materials and to continue public outreach and education on the finance topics discussed.