Groton‑Dunstable lays out chapter 70 funding gap and override options as public raises concern over long‑term solution

School finance staff and district leaders presented an overview of Chapter 70 funding, the district’s budget gap and local assessment mechanics at the Jan. 22 Groton‑Dunstable School Committee meeting, then opened an extended public forum where residents pressed the committee for clearer explanations and longer‑term remedies.

District staff explained the Chapter 70 process, which calculates a foundation budget, required local contribution and state aid. Presenters said Groton‑Dunstable has been “hold harmless” in prior years under the state formula and that many Massachusetts districts — roughly two‑thirds, as presented — are in similar situations where state increases have been limited.

Presentations to the committee included the district’s proposed budget scenarios. Staff described a proposed “level‑services” budget that the presentation said would increase the assessment if towns do not provide additional levy capacity; a lower scenario tied to what towns could afford within their levy limits resulted in much smaller increases. Presenters said the previously estimated shortfall was about $1.3 million for Groton and $700,000 for Dunstable, though the presenters noted the governor’s proposed budget — released that afternoon — slightly altered state Chapter 70 figures.

Sherry (last name not specified in the meeting) explained assessment mechanics for the regional district. The school committee’s finance presentation said excess and deficiency (E&D) reserves have been used repeatedly in recent years to smooth budgets; presenters listed one‑time E&D uses of roughly $750,000 (FY18), $400,000 (FY19), $800,000 (FY20), $800,000 (FY21), $730,000 (FY22), and $911,740 (FY23). This year the district said it planned to use about $500,000 and expected to draw another $400,000 to $500,000, which committee members said cannot be a sustainable long‑term strategy.

Presenters described Proposition 2½ overrides as the usual local mechanism to raise taxes above the levy limit for a defined purpose and period; they also noted that the regional assessment formula constrains how much additional revenue can be raised from each town because assessments are apportioned according to the regional agreement (a five‑year rolling average of enrollment is used for the regionally assessed portion after required local contributions are applied).

The meeting moved to a public forum focused on school funding. A number of residents said the presentation did not yet provide the complete story needed to win future override votes. John Sopka, a Groton resident, urged the committee to explain — in public forums — what changed over the last five to eight years to produce the present shortfall, warning that repeated override requests are unsustainable. "We need a much clearer understanding of why we can no longer fund the education of our children in this town," Sopka said.

Other speakers urged the committee to be blunt about likely consequences if overrides fail — larger class sizes, program reductions, and staff cuts — and asked for more direct, simple materials that citizens can use when reaching out to state legislators. Some audience members said outreach should focus on parents and residents whose children no longer attend district schools because that group had significant numbers of voters who opposed the prior override.

District leaders said they are working with a regional‑agreement review committee and a hired consultant to examine alternative assessment methods and to ensure compliance with the five‑year regional agreement review. Officials said any recommended changes to the regional agreement would be vetted publicly and would require town meeting actions.

Committee members and audience participants discussed an operational audit — an external review of district operations and potential efficiencies — planned for the spring. The committee said the audit’s recommendations could bring proposals for building or program consolidation and that such recommendations would be shared with the public before any decisions.

The meeting closed the forum with officials urging continued public engagement. No override vote was on the Jan. 22 agenda; leaders said they will continue outreach, host additional forums and provide updated budget figures as state and town guidance change.