Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Choice topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee weighs opening high‑school school‑choice slots; $5,000 base payment noted
Summary
Swansea administrators presented options for school choice in 2025 (examples: five slots per high‑school grade, 25 total). Officials noted the base sending‑district payment is $5,000 per student and agreed to take a formal vote in January after clarifying grandfathering and slot details.
The Swansea School Committee discussed school choice allocations for the coming year and agreed to place a formal vote on the January agenda.
Administration reviewed options including limiting school choice to the high school with five seats per grade (the paper in the packet listed 25 total slots) and discussed how grandfathering would affect students already admitted. "Just so you know, anytime you have school choice, it is about $5,000 per student that choice in," the superintendent said, explaining that $5,000 is a typical base amount from the sending district and that additional state formulas and 'cherry‑sheet' offsets can affect net receipts.
Committee members debated opening grade 9 only or allowing slots across grades 9–12; one member urged taking no more than the available space to avoid exploding class sizes and another said the district has room in some grades. Several members said they favor offering choice at the high‑school level; the committee asked administration to verify statutory grandfathering and to return with a proposed motion in January so the committee can vote.
