I always love your newsletters, Aislinn – so informative! Thank you. Superintendent Allen’s explanation highlights how the 10/1/24 snapshot undercounted Worcester’s real enrollment. On 10/1/24 the district reported 24,778 students, but from then until the end of the school year Worcester grew by a net four students for EACH school day.
Using the state’s 180-day school year, that daily gain works out to the equivalent of 362 additional students as of 10/24, about 1.46% more than the 10/1 snapshot. With roughly $350 million in state aid, that translates to about $5.1 million in underfunding. That’s a lot for our Worcester schools -- it's many positions cut when we need them more!
Has there been any discussion with Senator Kennedy or the state about revising the state funding practice to reconcile funding in the following year so that districts are credited for undercounts (or debited for overcounts)? As long as we rely on a single day’s headcount, Worcester and districts like us will carry more students than the state recognizes/funds and so we'll be underfunded for doing so and likely feel forced to fire teachers. Why not adjust next year’s funding to make it fair, one way or the other?
I always love your newsletters, Aislinn – so informative! Thank you. Superintendent Allen’s explanation highlights how the 10/1/24 snapshot undercounted Worcester’s real enrollment. On 10/1/24 the district reported 24,778 students, but from then until the end of the school year Worcester grew by a net four students for EACH school day.
Using the state’s 180-day school year, that daily gain works out to the equivalent of 362 additional students as of 10/24, about 1.46% more than the 10/1 snapshot. With roughly $350 million in state aid, that translates to about $5.1 million in underfunding. That’s a lot for our Worcester schools -- it's many positions cut when we need them more!
Has there been any discussion with Senator Kennedy or the state about revising the state funding practice to reconcile funding in the following year so that districts are credited for undercounts (or debited for overcounts)? As long as we rely on a single day’s headcount, Worcester and districts like us will carry more students than the state recognizes/funds and so we'll be underfunded for doing so and likely feel forced to fire teachers. Why not adjust next year’s funding to make it fair, one way or the other?