CostDrivers

The FY24 Operating Budget is comprised of sixteen major drivers. These drivers (shown below) are tracked from year-to-year so that trends in any one of these areas can be understood as the budget is built and as well as the impact to the overall increase can also be understood. This year, there is a significant mandated increase in the rate for approved in-state special education placements that serve the needs of students that are not able to be served within their home school district. The mandated increase for these schools is set by the Massachusetts Operational Services Division (OSD) For FY24 the rates were increased by 14% (the last thirteen rate increases ranged from 0 75% to 2 72%) and there has been a call on the legislators to lessen the significant impact on all districts in the state Without immediate relief, our budget is directly impacted by those increases Additionally, utilities are impacted by the same market conditions that residents see in their utility bill increases To offset the steep increase in utility rates, the district has joined a collective bid through the French River Educational Center to drive down our oil costs and work with a new energy procurement firm that will support more competitive rates for natural gas and electricity.