Archived Information
School Finance: Chapter 70 Program
MEMORANDUM
| TO: |
Superintendents
Mayors and Boards of Selectmen
|
| FROM: |
David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education |
| Date: |
November 15, 2005 |
| Subject: |
Compliance With Spending Requirements, FY05 and FY06 |
As you know, the Commonwealth's school finance statute, Chapter 70 of the General Laws, establishes an annual minimum local contribution requirement for each Massachusetts school district. This local contribution, when added to a district's Chapter 70 aid, equals its "net school spending requirement." Failure to comply with this requirement may result in non-approval of a municipality's tax rate, enforcement action by the Attorney General, or loss of state aid.
The Department of Education reviews and analyzes the information submitted annually on each school district's End-of-Year Pupil and Financial Report, to determine whether minimum local contributions and net school spending requirements for the prior and current years have been met. Each district's compliance reports are being released to its school and municipal officials once the Department's review of the district's financial data has been completed. The Department's preliminary findings regarding your district's compliance with the requirements for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 are shown on the attached "Chapter 70 Net School Spending Compliance" sheets.
Compliance with net school spending is also reported and periodically updated on our web site:
The Section 241 maintenance spending requirement, which stipulates that districts must spend at least 50 percent of the combined maintenance and extraordinary maintenance amounts in their foundation budgets, remains in effect. Districts will receive guidance from the Massachusetts School Building Authority as to how that requirement will be handled under the new SBA law.
If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Roger Hatch in the School Finance unit at (781) 338-6527 (rhatch@doe.mass.edu).
Thank you for your continuing support and cooperation as we work together to improve educational opportunities for all Massachusetts public school students.
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State Government · State Services 
