The Manchester School Committee approved a request to use $1,068,490.86 from the Teaching and Learning Trust to purchase K–8 curriculum materials after federal ESSER funds used in prior years were no longer available.

Assistant Superintendent Nicole Daugherty told the committee that, with ESSER funds exhausted, the Teaching and Learning Trust had been used to cover curriculum purchases. “For this year, I am requesting $1,068,490.86 from the Teaching and Learning Trust to support the curriculum purchases for K to 8 curriculum and everything else on that background sheet,” Daugherty said.

Committee members said the purchases should be incorporated into the general operating budget in future years because curriculum is an ongoing cost. Committee Member Veni noted the board should present a needs budget so the public understands long‑term costs; Vice Chairman O’Connell moved to approve the trust expenditure and said the district should not rely on one‑time funds to pay recurring costs.

Motion and vote: Vice Chairman O’Connell moved to approve the request; Committee Member Turner seconded. The committee voted unanimously in favor and approved the request.

Why it matters: The purchase covers core instructional materials for K–8 and represents a sizable use of a restricted local trust fund; administrators said the goal is to shift these recurring costs into the general budget next year.

Background and next steps: Administrators said the curriculum purchases had previously been paid with ESSER federal funds. The administration plans to present budget options in the next cycle to avoid recurring reliance on trust funds.