State Fees Impact School Budget

January 25, 2024
• In the wake of a massive hike in special education tuitions last year, the town is being asked to bear another unusually large increase.

When it comes to funding the public education system, the Commonwealth giveth, and the Commonwealth taketh away. While the town receives funding from Massachusetts dedicated to education costs, it is also mandated to pay for the services it receives. One such cost is for out of district special education tuition. Over the last two years, the fee for these services has jumped, putting strain on the budget, and becoming a destabilizing force in the school department’s future financial planning. This has left some calling foul. Municipal Producer Yuxiao Yuan takes a closer look.

This story ran as part of the Needham Channel News, a weekly newscast airing on The Needham Channel every Thursday at 7:30pm. The Needham Channel News can be found on the Community Channel: Comcast 9, Astound 15 and Verizon 29. Most Thursdays it also can be viewed on our HD Channel on Verizon 2129, Astound 613 and streaming on this site.