School Committee
The School Committee is a 2 year unpaid elected role consisting of 7 Franklin residents that do not have an existing role within the Franklin School District.
The School Committee has the power to select and to terminate the superintendent, review and approve budgets for public education in the district, and establish educational goals and policies for the schools in the district consistent with the requirements of law and statewide goals and standards established by the board of education.
The School Committee holds 2 public meetings a month that Franklin residents can attend in person, via Zoom (if available), and watch on Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. When needed, the School Committee will establish subcommittees to focus on specific topics and will conduct community outreach sessions to get the involvement of the community on decisions that impact the District.
Exceptional Events
- Davis Thayer Facility Analysis – https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis
- School Start Time – https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-start-times-advisory-committee-sstac
- COVID-19 – ongoing efforts to ensure the protection and wellness of the Franklin School District
Role of the School Committee
Policy
Establish & review educational goals & policies, in accordance with laws & statewide goals/standards
Finance
Review & support a budget for district
Balance needs & resources
Oversee operation of budget
Staffing
Appoint superintendent
Appoint assistant superintendents, administrators of school business/specialed, school physicians, legal counsel
Set compensation for positions above
Prescribe any additional qualifications for educator positions, beyond basic certification
Professional Development (PD)
Adopt PD plan for all principals, teachers, & other professionals staff in district
Provide resources for SC members’ PD to help them better serve the district
School Councils
Review & approve annual school improvement plans for each school
Provide resources for SC members’ PD to help them better servedistrict
Advocacy
Promote benefits of public school
Celebrate achievements in district
Work closely with other governmental agencies in service of district
Governance
Establish educational goals & policies consistent with laws & statewide goals/standards
Delegate to the Superintendent responsibility for all admin functions
Act only as a body prescribed by law & not as individual members
Communication
Support & promote the vision, mission, goals,& policies of the district
Review, prior to all SC meetings, the info provided by superintendent &communicate questions/concerns to her/him
Consult & confer with Superintendent on matters that arise
Maintain open communication between community & schools
Support superintendent in all matters that conform to committee
Appoint superintendent
Appoint assistant superintendents, administrators of school business/specialed, school physicians, legal counsel
Set compensation for positions above
Prescribe any additional qualifications for educator positions, beyond basic certification
Collective Bargaining
Act as employer of record for school employees
Designate a negotiator or team
Receive advice from Superintendent about educational consequences of bargaining positions
Performance Standards
Establish performance standards for employees of school district
Evaluate superintendent performance
Conduct self-evaluation of Committee’s effectiveness policy
Franklin School District*
~4.8K+ students
1 Early Childhood Education facility
5 Elementary Schools (formerly 6 – DT closed at the end of FY21)
3 Middle Schools
1 High School
*Although Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS) & Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School are both in Franklin they are not under the jurisdiction of the School Committee.
https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/general/general.aspx?topNavID=1&leftNavId=100&orgcode=01010000&orgtypecode=5Key Terms
Foundation Budget – State defined adequate funding level based on the specific grades, programs, and demographic of the school district. Funding comes from local contributions and Chapter 70 state aid.
Chapter 70 (Aid) – Educational funding assistance provided by the state.
Net School Spending (NSS) – Total amount allocated for spending. Combination of Chapter 70 & local contributions
DESE – Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or also referred to as Department of Education (DOE). The Department's work includes licensing educators, distributing state and federal education money, helping districts implement learning standards, overseeing statewide standardized tests, monitoring schools and districts, and convening districts and individuals to share best practices. https://www.doe.mass.edu/
School Committee Goals
Budget: The School Committee in collaboration with the Superintendent will develop a budget to support implementation of the 4 Key Strategic Objectives of the Franklin Public Schools.
Two-way Communication: The School Committee in collaboration with the Superintendent will engage stakeholders and other citizens in discussion and in search of feedback to make important decisions in support of the 4 Key Strategic Objectives of the Franklin Public Schools.
Monitoring: The School Committee in collaboration with the Superintendent will agree on measures both quantitative and qualitative to judge the success of the actions taken in support of the four key District Improvement Goals. The School Committee will monitor progress towards these measures throughout the year https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/scgoals.pdf
Budget
FY2022 Proposed Franklin School District Budget $67,914,184; increase over FY2021 by $2,255,684 or 3.44%. 71% of FY22 Foundation Budget comes from local contributions (property taxes). https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget
Watch this video to learn more about the Franklin Public School budget funding sources and spending.