School spending history
School spending history
lunenburgbudgetproject.org — written by the Lunenburg Budget Project, an independent tool for residents. Not affiliated with the Town of Lunenburg, the School Committee or the school district. The data this page is computed from: /data/topics/school-spending-history.json
From FY2008 to FY2024 net school spending rose 12.7% after inflation (61.3% as printed), while pupils fell 13.4% and teacher FTE 4.6%. None of it says why.
| Spending as printed, actual | Spending adjusted for inflation, actual | Spending as printed, budgeted | Pupils, 1 October | Teacher FTE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2008 | 100.0% | 100.0% | not published | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| FY2009 | 101.7% | 100.2% | not published | 95.3% | 100.6% |
| FY2010 | 103.8% | 101.4% | not published | 93.3% | 100.8% |
| FY2011 | 104.3% | 100.6% | not published | 90.5% | 85.6% |
| FY2012 | 109.1% | 102.6% | not published | 89.7% | 95.7% |
| FY2013 | 113.8% | 105.4% | not published | 87.0% | 86.2% |
| FY2014 | 118.6% | 108.2% | not published | 85.7% | 84.2% |
| FY2015 | 123.8% | 111.7% | not published | 85.4% | 85.0% |
| FY2016 | 127.5% | 114.1% | not published | 85.9% | 87.6% |
| FY2017 | 133.3% | 116.8% | not published | 88.4% | 93.8% |
| FY2018 | 144.2% | 122.8% | not published | 90.0% | 96.3% |
| FY2019 | 147.9% | 122.6% | not published | 90.4% | 92.5% |
| FY2020 | 149.5% | 121.9% | not published | 90.0% | 89.9% |
| FY2021 | 152.6% | 123.0% | not published | 87.3% | 91.0% |
| FY2022 | 160.5% | 122.3% | not published | 87.6% | 93.1% |
| FY2023 | 162.9% | 117.0% | not published | 85.6% | 94.4% |
| FY2024 | 161.3% | 112.7% | not published | 86.6% | 95.4% |
| FY2025 | not published | not published | 170.6% | 85.7% | 87.9% |
| FY2026 | not published | not published | 181.7% | 86.0% | 86.5% |
Each series over its own FY2008 value. Adjusted for inflation: each older year at what it would cost at FY2024 prices (Boston-area prices, ours).
1 · FY2008 to FY2024
+12.7%
net school spending, after inflation
+61.3%
net school spending, as printed
-13.4%
pupils enrolled 1 October
-4.6%
teacher FTE
2 · As far back as each goes
1.61
times FY1994 net school spending, FY2024, after inflation
$15,217
per child enrolled, FY2024 (ours)
$8,518
per child, FY1994, adjusted for inflation (ours)
-10.1%
pupils, FY1994 to FY2024
27.1
more paraprofessional and support FTE, FY2009 to FY2025
—
what the FY2011 teacher count measured
not published
—
which posts were filled, and which fund paid
not published
3 · By type of spending, FY2009 to FY2025
+83.2%
insurance and retirement: $2,963,123 to $5,426,967
+88.7%
paras, therapists, substitutes: $1,671,775 to $3,154,094
+39.4%
teachers: $7,330,524 to $10,218,273
+54.4%
all school spending: $19,446,453 to $30,031,242
4 · What it adds up to
- 1
From FY2008 to FY2024 spending rose 12.7% after inflation while pupils fell 13.4%.
- 2
Teacher FTE read 4.6% lower over those years; from FY2013 it reads 10.7% higher.
- 3
Paraprofessional and support FTE rose by 27.1 from FY2009 to FY2025.
- 4
Over FY1994 to FY2024 spending is 1.61 times larger after inflation; pupils 10.1% fewer.
- 5
Since FY2009, each on its own cost: insurance grew 83%, paras 89%, teachers 39%.
- 6
Per child enrolled it went from $8,518 to $15,217, both adjusted for inflation.
Start here
- Spending by type over time →School spending, all funds, went from $19,446,453 in FY2009 to $30,031,242 in FY2025.
- Growth by spending type →Each against its own FY2009 cost: insurance and retirement grew 83%, paras 89%, teachers 39%, all 54%.
- Pay or headcount →FY2025 had 15.2 fewer teachers than FY2009, but each cost $36,331 more; the teachers line rose $2,887,749.
Side by side
- Inflation and school costs →Most of the rise in school spending since FY2009 is inflation: $8.9 million of $10.6 million a year.
- Teacher pay compared →On the 5 FY2026 salary schedules held, Lunenburg’s top step was lowest in the bachelor’s and master’s lanes.Also under School spending
- Teachers on the scale →In calendar 2025, 56 of 90 teachers we matched were paid at least the master’s top step.
- Growth side by side →FY2008 to FY2024: spending up 12.7% after inflation (61.3% as printed); pupils down 13.4%, teacher FTE 4.6%.
- Teachers and other staff →The state counted 105.1 teacher FTE and 78.5 paraprofessional and support FTE in FY2025.
- Spending per child enrolled →After inflation, spending per child went from $8,518 in FY1994 to $15,217 in FY2024; pupils fell 10.1%.
- Long-run school spending →After inflation, net school spending went from $14,974,588 in FY1994 to $24,043,452 in FY2024, 1.61 times.
What the counts cannot settle
Each measure on its own
- Enrolment by year →1,568 children in FY2026: 321 fewer than the FY2001 peak, and close to where the count has sat since FY2015.Also under Enrolment, Homes and taxes
- Teachers over time →The state counted 103.4 teacher FTE in FY2026, 10.6 fewer than in FY2024; 95 of 171 year pairs end lower.Also under School staffing
- Teachers per pupil →Lunenburg had 6.70 teacher FTE per hundred pupils in FY2025, 12th of 13 on the state’s sheet.Also under School staffing, School spending
- Paraprofessionals over time →The state counted 67.0 paraprofessional FTE in FY2025, against 14.8 in FY2013 and 46.4 in FY2009.Also under School staffing
- People and posts →The state counted 123 teachers in FY2023, holding 112.8 full-time equivalent posts between them.Also under School staffing
- Spending per pupil →Lunenburg spent $18,027 a pupil in FY2025, all funds, against a state median of $23,520.Also under School spending, Homes and taxes
- Spending and pupils →From FY2012 to FY2025 Lunenburg’s spending rose 48.7% and its pupils fell 5.6%; North Middlesex lost 23.5%.Also under School spending
- Net school spending →Lunenburg spent 116.0% of the state’s minimum in FY2024, and met the minimum in all 31 years.Also under State aid, School spending
- Chapter 70 by year →Chapter 70 was $9,229,410 in FY2026 and $3,921,700 in FY2007; it fell in 2 of 19 years.Also under State aid