State Senator Salvatore DiDomenico was on hand at Monday night’s School Committee meeting, as Superintendent of Schools Frederick F. Foresteire announced to the School Committee that the Everett public schools will be receiving an extra $1 million in Foundation Reserve funding for the current school year, due to a year over year increase in the school enrollment of 336 additional students this year from the 2013-14 school year.
According to the Superintendent, the one-time payment of $1 million in additional funding was placed into the state budget by Senator DiDomenico and Senate President Therese Murray, who recognized that the Everett school district is facing a unique challenge in the state, with enrollment growing faster than the state funding formula can account for.
The Foundation Reserve fund, or so-called pothole fund, was established by the legislature to aid school districts that faced budget deficits or worsening student-teacher ratios due to a rapid influx of students into the district from year to the next.
Senator DiDomenico explained that the fund, established nearly 15 years ago, hadn’t been funded by the legislature in several years due to budget cuts, but was partially restored in the state’s FY 2013 budget and was funded again in Fu 2014 (current year).
“Last year, through this fund, we were able to get an extra $100,000 for the Everett schools,” said Senator DiDomenico. “This year, largely because of the Senate President and her understanding of the situation, we were able to fund that line item at $2 million and Everett was able to get $1 million of that.”
Superintendent Foresteire pointed out to the School Committee that Senator DiDomenico “brought several of his senate colleagues into the Everett schools to show them the situation we’re facing. He is one senator that has really been working for his district.”