School Committee Prepares For Budget Crossroads

In advance of the town's Special Town Meeting in October, Westford's schools appear to find themselves in the position of either having to gain new revenue or facing difficult budgetary choices. 

Although looming concerns had been discussed among the School Committee in the past, the topic arose again on Monday night at the committee's meeting during the discussion over a recent Boston Magazine article naming Westford as one of the 50 best school districts in the state based on test scores from last spring and other various factors.

Superintendent Bill Olsen noted that Weston, which he described as similar to Westford in its makeup, paid $42 million more to achieve the same results that Westford had achieved during the last school year.

The topic would arise again later in the meeting's agenda as Olsen explained to the board that in advance of October's vote, he has been asked by Town Manager Jodi Ross to prepare two potential budgets.

The first would level fund the budget, although in reality this would actually require $2 million in cuts due to expiring funding for $850,000 in special education funding and expected increased prices of fuel and school materials.

Meanwhile the second budget would in at 98 percent of current funding levels, which would require $3.5 million in cuts. 

Although no decision was made on Monday night, the door was left open for the possibility that the committee would potentially pursue a Proposition 2 1/2 override in order to avoid further cuts.