The Everett School Committee unanimously approved the new school budget for the coming year during Monday night’s meeting at Everett High School.
The final budget tally came in at $54.6 million, which includes $3 million for school transportation.
The budget represents a decrease from this year’s budget by nearly $1 million.
Because of the lack of funding for next year’s budget as compared with this years, Superintendent of Schools Fred Foresteire will be mailing out approximately 240 pink slips shortly after the Memorial Day Holiday, he told the Independent Tuesday morning.
If that number of layoffs is sustained, it would be devastating to the public schools, everyone on the School Committee agrees.
The pink slips include about 150 teachers and a variety of school personnel.
Foresteire said that he is waiting to find out exactly what the state will be sending to ease the financial burden – if anything at all.
“If the state sends us added funding, many of the pink slips will be rescinded. If nothing is sent, well, I’d rather not speculate on that right now,” he added.
The School Committee spent almost three months creating the budget.
Much of the committee’s focus was placed on classroom instruction, where the bulk of the money appropriated is being spent.
In addition, at a recent public hearing on the budget, the School Committee decided not to participate in school choice – which in years past, allowed those who do not live here to go to school here.