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Date: 4/18/2023
CHICOPEE — Chicopee interim Superintendent Alvin Morton provided an update on the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget during the School Committee budget meeting on April 12.
The FY24 budget was already presented in a previous meeting, however, this was the second part to that meeting, as Morton highlighted changes that have been made.
Morton explained that Gov. Maura Healey’s FY24 foundation budget was released on March 1, allocating $122.69 million to Chicopee Public Schools. This is an increase of $9.79 million from the current fiscal year.
He went on to provide a breakdown of the budget. In FY24, the city contribution increased $1.7 million and Chapter 70 increased by $8 million. In FY23, Chapter 70 was $80.78 million and in FY24, it will be $88.83 million.
Morton said low income moved from 71% to 73% and kept them within economic disadvantage.
He noted that the validation budget for this upcoming school year will be $17,122 per student. In FY23 it was $15,675, and in FY22 it was $14,280.
At Bellamy Middle School, Morton said some changes were made including the hiring of safety and security personnel. This increases the FY24 bottom line to $8.36 million.
Dupont Middle School also has two new hires for safety and security, increasing the FY24 bottom line to $7.87 million.
The same positions were filled at Chicopee Academy, increasing the bottom line to $3.42 million, Chicopee High School, $9.93 million; and Chicopee Comprehensive High School, $10.12 million.
Morton said there were 19 new hires under salaries operations admin. The bottom line increased to $5.47 million.
Districtwide, salaries increased for FY24, with the total being $11.48 million. In FY23, it was $9.48 million.
For district wide/other expenses, the bottom line increased to $23.53 million. In FY24, the total was $21.09 million.
Morton said the total budget for FY24 is $121.19 million.
A motion was made to move the budget forward to the full School Committee, with the option to adjust if needed. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.