At the Dec. 2 finance committee meeting, district administration reviewed the Eastern Center for Arts & Technology operating and capital assessments and said Cheltenham’s contribution will increase from $1,400,000 last year to $1,500,000 this year — an 8% rise and roughly $111,000 more — primarily because more students from the district are attending Eastern (reported growth from 101 to 116 students).

Administration noted the capital-assessment component is tied to the district’s taxable-assessment value while the operating assessment is driven by attendance; trustees and staff discussed whether the district could cap seats to control future growth in the expense line. Several board members emphasized the educational benefits and urged visits to Eastern’s updated facilities (culinary, robotics, welding, protective services) before making any fiscal constraining decision.

Why it matters: The Eastern Center line is growing faster than the district’s overall budget projection in that area, so board members said they want more information about program impact, cost trade-offs and whether alternative funding or advocacy for state support is warranted.

What’s next: Administration will present the Eastern Center operating budget for formal approval in the upcoming board meeting and facilitate site visits and more detailed cost breakdowns for trustees to review.