Listening session schedule set for Chapter 70 Local Contribution Study by DESE & DLS

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education today announced a series of public hearings regarding the state chapter 70 formula. The listening sessions are part of a Chapter 70 Local Contribution Study included in the state’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and conducted by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Department of Revenue’s Division of Local Services (DLS).

These listening sessions will inform the final Chapter 70 Local Contribution Study that examines the methods used to determine each municipality’s target local contribution and required local contribution toward school funding. The study will also consider the impact of factors such as income and property wealth, the effect on municipal services, and the unique challenges of rural and regional school districts. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and DLS expect to release the final report in the summer.

Listening session schedule:

Thursday, October 23, 2025

 Chapter 70 Local Contribution Study

4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Masconomet Regional High School, 20 Endicott Road, Boxford

Thursday, October 30, 2025

4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Doherty Memorial High School, 299 Highland St., Worcester

Thursday, November 6, 2025

4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Greenfield High School, 21 Barr Ave., Greenfield

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Virtual public comment hearing

Register online

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Apponequet Regional High School, 100 Howland Road, Lakeville

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and DLS encourage the submission of written comments, which can be emailed to C70PublicComment@mass.gov.

Shared from -> https://www.doe.mass.edu/finance/chapter70/fy2026-local-contribution-study.html

Finance Cmte approves Pledge doc and goes line by line through General Government functions (audio)

FM #1196 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1196 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Franklin, MA Finance Committee budget hearing, the first of 3 sessions conducted on Monday, May 6, 2024.

The 2nd session is scheduled for May 8, the 3rd and final session scheduled for May 15, 2024. Then the Town Council does their budget hearing over 2 nights, May 22 & May 23. 

Quick recap:

• minutes of the April meeting moved to May 15 meeting for approval

• discussion on the override and pledge doc, led to approval by 8-0-1 (1 absent, Grace)  vote via roll call

• Committee then proceeded line by line through the departments, some questions raised, answered, some departments not questioned (Recreation for example touted as a 'net zero,' everything they are allocated for they return in fees raised)

• discussion on net school spending, how some budget expenses are on the Town side, some on the school side, all does get rolled up into net school spending annually by DESE with reporting from Town and School. The FY 2023 net school spending report coincidentally I had downloaded in answer to a question last week. The link is provided below 

The conversation runs about 2 and a quarter hours. Let’s listen to the first of 3 budget hearings. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1196-finance-cmte-budget-hearing-1-of-3-05-06-24

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The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gUpsku8VOg 

The agenda doc ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/fin_com_agenda_may_6.pdf 

Follow along with the budget voting doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy25_ta_budget_book_v2.pdf 

My notes captured in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xUBq2dVYhvNtq8VA3dREQESDo3U4awWM/view?usp=drive_link 

The net school spending report for Franklin (so yes this does include charter school students) ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-flBF-M1oNTIzcOTMjc7CDmYR9QEkWt2/view?usp=drive_link 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or  www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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Finance Cmte approves Pledge doc and goes line by line through General Government functions (audio)

FinCom goes line by line through General Government functions, approves Pledge doc (video)

The Finance Committee met on Monday, May 6, 2024 as scheduled. 8 of the 9 members were present, 6 in person, 2 remote (hence roll call votes). 

The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gUpsku8VOg

The agenda doc ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/fin_com_agenda_may_6.pdf

Follow along with the budget voting doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/fy25_ta_budget_book_v2.pdf

Quick recap:

• minutes of the April meeting moved to May 15 meeting for approval
• discussion on the override and pledge doc, led to approval by 8-0-1 (1 absent, Grace)  vote via roll call
• Committee then proceeded line by line through the departments, some questions raised, answered, some departments not questioned (Recreation for example touted as a 'net zero' everything they are allocated for they return in fees raised)
• discussion on net school spending, how some budget expenses are on the Town side, some on the school side, all does get rolled up into net school spending annually by DESE with reporting from Town and School. The FY 2023 net school spending report coincidentally I had downloaded in answer to a question last week. The link is provided below

My notes captured in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xUBq2dVYhvNtq8VA3dREQESDo3U4awWM/view?usp=drive_link

The net school spending report for Franklin (so yes this does include charter school students) ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-flBF-M1oNTIzcOTMjc7CDmYR9QEkWt2/view?usp=drive_link

FinCom goes line by line through General Government functions, approves Pledge doc (video)