Dialogue For Dollars

Superintendent Lynne Celli told state legislators on Tuesday that underfunding Swampscott has real consequences for its kids.

Those consequences include reduced guidance staffing to meet kids' social and emotional needs.

Less money for text books.

Less money to upgrade technology.

It means schools have to charge students to take part in athletic and other extracurricular activites.

The superintendent said she respectfully asked the legislators to consider state Rep. Lori Ehrlich's bill with all students in mind.

The state representative's bill would bring Swampscott and other communities to the minimum 17.5 percent state foundation education funding that all districts are suppose to receive. 

The legislation would re-establish a phase-in for districts that receive less than the 17.5 percent, according to the office of Rep. Ehrlich, D-Marblehead.

In year one of the new phase-in, communities would get 50 percent closer to reaching the 17.5% target and be fully caught up in the second, said Thomas Mills, spokesman for Rep. Ehrlich.

“Swampscott is currently funded at 13.96%. For Swampscott that means approximately $526,000 that is missing from an already bare-bones budget,” said Superintendent Celli. “This decreased funding has had tremendous effects on the Swampscott Public Schools’ ability to deliver a quality program that is comprehensive and that addresses the social, emotional, physical and academic needs of ALL of our children.”

The joint committee will need to report the legislation out favorably to bring it to a vote of the entire legislature.

David Whelan, a Swampscott resident and longtime advocate for Chapter 70 reform, said Ehrlich's bill gets Swampscott a step closer to a level playing field.

If the bill passes the legislature it will head to the governor’s desk for final approval before becoming law.