10/20/2025
Please see this note based on the was shared from Superintendent Dr. Cushing’s weekly memo:
Public Hearings to:
Review K-12 Funding Formula
The Governor’s Office recently announced a series of public listening sessions to solicit feedback on the Chapter 70 school finance formula, the primary funding program that establishes how Massachusetts distributes education aid to cities and towns. 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).
“Chapter 70 is the foundation for how we fund our schools. This is an opportunity for the public to help shape the future of a system that affects every student in Massachusetts,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “We strongly encourage our educators, families, community leaders and stakeholders to attend these sessions and let us know what is working and where we need to make changes.”
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.
Thursday, October 23, 2025
4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Masconomet Regional High School, 20 Endicott Road, Boxford
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Virtual public comment hearing
Register online
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and DLS encourage the submission of written comments, which can be emailed to
[email protected]. More information on the public comment sessions, Chapter 70 and local contributions is available on DESE’s website.