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Haverhill School Committee members last Thursday began preliminary discussions on the next school budget, spurred by an analysis of last year’s budget by member Thomas Grannemann.
The analysis found that the city spends proportionately less on administration and instructional materials than average statewide expenditures, but spends more on teaching and pupil services compared to the state average.
“Sometimes it’s good to check base and see where you are relative to other districts,” Grannemann told the Committee.
Vice Chairman Paul A. Magliocchetti praised the analysis, noting that this year’s budget season may be “very, very difficult.”
“It’s never too early to start,” he said. “Everything we’re doing, everything we want to do, everything we run for really hinges on how we allocate these funds.”
Grannemann called the analysis a “starting point” and a benchmark for future budget discussions.
“It gives us a place to start in our discussions,” he said.
As WHAV reported in September, the School Committee sent a proposal for an assistant superintendent position and administrative pay increases to its Finance Committee for further study. The proposed $150,000 position has remained vacant since Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Michael J. Pfifferling left Haverhill Public Schools ahead of the 2024 school year.
In other School Committee news, the committee heard updates on student enrollment. According to officials, the number of students considered homeless in the district under the McKinney Vento Act has dropped by five compared to 2023 as of Oct. 1 data.