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Superintendent says new state education aid figures leave Methuen ‘befuddled’; committee readies earlier budget schedule
Summary
District officials told the Methuen School Committee on Feb. 10 that the governor’s FY26 education-aid formula produces more limited increases than the district expected and urged an accelerated budget schedule to allow the city and schools time to assess impacts.
At the Feb. 10 Methuen School Committee meeting, the superintendent presented the district’s preliminary analysis of the governor’s proposed FY26 education-aid figures and summarized the administration’s plan to accelerate the district’s budget schedule in response.
The superintendent said the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) foundation formula incorporated a 1.93% inflation rate for FY26, producing what the district calculated as a $2.417 million increase in Chapter 70 state aid for Methuen over FY25. At the same time, the district’s required minimum local contribution increased by roughly $2.5 million (from a cited $47 million to $49 million on the presentation graphic). The superintendent described the result as “befuddling,” saying the growth is lower than the district expected under the Student Opportunity Act’s planned multi‑year increases.
Committee members pressed staff about special-education tuition and private‑placement rates. The administration reported it is budgeting for a likely added-district tuition-rate increase of about 3.67% for out‑of‑district special‑education placements (the Office of Student Finance sets those rates and notifies districts later), and that collaborative and private placement invoices are still being finalized.
District leaders said the combined effect of the Chapter 70 increase and other pressures (contractual obligations and rising special‑education costs) would leave little new funding available: they told the committee the nominal $2.417 million state increase is largely consumed by existing obligations. The superintendent and finance staff recommended accelerating the district’s internal budget schedule: they moved the preliminary budget presentation from the usual April meeting to a March 24 workshop to provide earlier time for city council joint discussions.
Members suggested the district seek briefings from the legislative delegation and noted planned regional conversations by the Merrimack Valley Superintendents group with state lawmakers in March. Several committee members urged the administration and mayor to meet with the city council earlier than the usual cycle to discuss revenue and program priorities.
The administration also flagged federal-grant uncertainty. Staff noted federal entitlement grants (Title I, IDEA and others) support roughly $3.5 million in salaries districtwide; recent federal-level budget and administrative developments have increased uncertainty about those grants and the administration said it will model conservative scenarios for budgeting and be prepared to show school‑level impacts if federal funding decreases.
Why it matters: The distribution of Chapter 70 aid, special‑education tuition rates and federal-grant stability determine key staffing and program decisions. Committee members asked for regular updates and earlier joint discussion with the city council so the city‑school budget conversation happens before later-stage decisions.
