Frequently Asked Questions

(sample - more, coming soon...)

WHEN IS THE 2007-8 BUDGET ESTABLISHED?
The 2007-8 budget process is underway now. Cost center managers submitted their budgets to the Assistant Superintendent on 10/31/06. The Superintendent is scheduled to deliver his 2007-08 budget to the School Committee on December 22, 2006. The first opportunity for the public to hear the proposal will be at the January 11th School Committee Meeting. The entire month of January is devoted to budget deliberations with a public forum scheduled for January 20th. Don't wait, if you have concerns, make them known now. Town meeting approval in May merely represents the final formalistic step in the budget process.

WHAT DOES A “LEVEL-FUNDED” BUDGET MEAN?
A “level-funded” budget is one which matches the total dollars set in the prior year. Westwood had level funded budgets for 2004-5 and 2005-6. A small budget increase of 4.64% was made in 2006-7, but not enough to offset rising fixed costs. The challenge Westwood and other communities face is that costs (such as oil) have increased substantially but that dollars budgeted have not. This has resulted necessarily in additional service cuts. To name a few, this year, 6.34 Full Time Equivalent employees were cut, fees were increased, four buses were eliminated and elementary “specials” were reduced resulting in the need for DEAR time, Drop Everything And Read.

IS THE TOWN OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE BUS TRANSPORTATION?
The Town is only obligated by law to provide bus transportation to those who live more than two miles from the school.