From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.
General Purpose
The Tri-County Regional Vocational School District was established by an act of the Massachusetts legislature on September 26, 1973. The act designated the towns of Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Sherborn, and Walpole as the original members; they were joined shortly after by the towns of Plainville, Seekonk and Wrentham. The school district was established in accordance with MGL Chapter 71 and as part of the agreement to establish the district, Tri-County was established under the provisions of MGL Chapter 74 and designated to include courses beyond the secondary school level in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 74 Section 37A. The Town has two (2) appointed members to the Regional School Committee.
The FY26 enrollment at Tri-County is estimated at 942 students; 186 are from Franklin. The budget reflects the cost sharing agreement between the towns and the member assessments based on the annual enrollment from Franklin.
Tri-County Regional Vocational High School is still housed in its original building. However, on November 7, 2023 residents voted to raise property taxes through a debt exclusion to pay for a new Tri-County Regional Vocational High School. The total project cost is estimated at $285,992,692 and upon completion will replace the Tri-County’s current facility on the same site which has been in existence since 1977. Construction plans call for shovels to hit the ground in the summer of 2024 with an anticipated opening in time for the 2026-2027 school year. For updates on the project, be sure to review the Tri-County High School Building Project website for the latest news and construction drone flyover footage. Franklin’s assessment of the project is anticipated to cost the Town $2 million per year, with approximately $102 million or ⅓ of the project being paid by the state through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).
Core Functions
● Tri-County’s mission is to provide an excellent comprehensive technical and academic education to regional high school students. State-of-the-art technical skills and knowledge are enriched and complemented by a solid foundation of academic skills. Creative and cooperative partnerships between area employers and a dynamic staff at Tri-County guarantee the continued growth and development of exciting programs designed to prepare graduates for careers in the twenty-first century. This is a place where students succeed and are well-prepared for work or college. To find out more, Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School
Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments
● 60 Seniors John & Abigail Adams Scholarship Winner.
● September 2025 celebrated a major milestone in the construction of the new school building: the Topping Off Ceremony marks the placement of the final steel beam, symbolizing the completion of the building’s structural framework.
● Stellar engineering students excel in NASA HUNCH competition and head to Johnson Space Center.
FY27 Requested Budget Highlights
In FY26, the operating budget included a full year of principal and interest payments totaling $1,563,430. The estimated principal and interest payments for FY27 are $1,559,172. The tax impact from this project began in FY25 and is reflected in the debt exclusion budget model and expenditure line item with an increase of $178,939. The tax rate will be adjusted later this year to reflect the increase in the levy for Franklin's portion.
The PDF of this section -
For the full FY 2027 budget narrative - https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1
The FY 2027 budget information can be found
