EASTHAMPTON — The city of Easthampton is getting around $164,000 in more state aid for schools than it did last year thanks to the Student Opportunity Act.
Additionally, thanks to revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment, state aid to Easthampton’s public schools, also known as Chapter 70 funds, is $117,000 more than projected.
During the Easthampton City Council meeting on Aug. 7, Mayor Nicole LaChapelle officially committed to allocating the funds for schools, and added that conversations with the superintendent and business manager will be had to figure out where and when to slot this money into the school budget.
“This isn’t about taking money and putting it under a pillow or doing something else with it,” LaChapelle said during the meeting. “It’ll go to schools.”
Margaret Betts, the president of the Easthampton Education Association, commended LaChapelle for her commitment to allocate these funds for the school district.
“Educators in Easthampton fought so hard for the Student Opportunity Act and Fair Share Amendment because we knew they would bring in the funding needed to support the staff, programs and resources our students need and deserve,” Betts said.
In her statement, Betts also said that the unanticipated state aid can make it possible to address the remaining issues that exist in contract negotiations between the EEA and School Committee.
Betts said the EEA is calling for the City Council to expeditiously approve the additional school funding.
“Schools across the commonwealth and across the country are experiencing staffing shortages. Education Support Professionals work with our most vulnerable students and make sure that students on special education plans receive the help they need. It is time ESPs receive a living wage and that all educators are paid fairly and treated with respect.” Betts said.
Easthampton is not the only community in the area to receive key additional state funding. The Northampton City Council and School Committee expeditiously approved an additional $192,400 from the state to the city’s fiscal year 2025 school budget that was passed earlier this summer.
In the case of Northampton, the extra $192,400 reflects an increase of $104 per student in Chapter 70 funds over FY24, a much higher total than the $30 per student that was originally proposed in the governor’s budget.
The money brings the total FY25 school budget in Northampton to $40.97 million.
According to Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, the new state budget also includes an additional $8,806 for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.
“I want to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of [state] Sen. Jo Comerford [D-Northampton], [state] Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa [D-Northampton], the Northampton Association of School Employees, Superintendent Dr. Portia Bonner, the mayor’s office and the countless parents and residents who have urged the state to increase per student spending in this way,” Sciarra said in a statement before the governor officially signed the budget. “Their advocacy has been instrumental in reaching this point.”
