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Newburyport school committee narrows FY27 school‑choice openings after heated debate; mayor casts deciding vote
Summary
After hours of discussion about middle‑school capacity, special‑education proportions and budget reliance on choice revenue, the school committee approved 5 grade‑6 slots, 5 grade‑10 slots and 15 grade‑9 slots (the grade‑9 motion passed after a tie and the mayor cast the deciding vote).
The Newburyport School Committee on April 8 approved a reduced set of FY27 school‑choice openings after an extended debate over capacity and budget tradeoffs.
Staff had proposed 35 new openings (5 grade 6, 25 grade 9 and 5 grade 10). Committee members and the public raised concerns about adding seats in the middle school given current enrollment patterns and staffing changes; others cautioned that school‑choice revenue has become a recurring offset in the district’s budget and that increasing slots further could raise political pressure and sustainability concerns.
After several amendments and rounds of discussion, the committee took the decisions in stages: it first approved five category‑10 slots for grade 10, then approved five slots for grade 6, and finally approved an amended motion to add 15 grade‑9 slots. The grade‑9 motion produced a split vote; the mayor said he would cast the deciding vote and announced, "I'm going to vote yes," swinging the outcome in favor of the motion.
Supporters argued that the high school schedule and course offerings are flexible enough to absorb additional freshmen, and that many choice applicants are likely to come from a local charter (River Valley) or leave other districts and so can be accommodated without adding permanent staffing. Opponents focused on the middle school, where several committee members and members of the public said recent staffing instability and cohort sizes make adding choice students risky.
Committee members asked staff to monitor the special‑education mix and report back; the enrollment office will post openings and manage applications, staff said.
Why it matters: school‑choice slots both generate revenue and change the student mix in classrooms; in this budget cycle the district is relying on choice and revolving funds to reduce the city appropriation request, so the committee’s choices affect both near‑term finances and classroom capacity.
What passed (summary):
- Grade 10: 5 new school‑choice seats (approved); - Grade 6: 5 new school‑choice seats (approved); - Grade 9: 15 new school‑choice seats (approved after a split vote; mayor cast deciding vote).
Committee members said they expect to continue monitoring the enrollment mix, special‑education proportions and the fiscal impact of ongoing use of school‑choice revenue.
