School spending history

Long-run school spending

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/long-run-school-spending.json

After inflation, net school spending went from $14,974,588 in FY1994 to $24,043,452 in FY2024, 1.61 times.

Net school spending by year
Actual, as printedBudgeted, as printedActual, adjusted for inflationBudgeted, adjusted for inflation
Actual, as printedBudgeted, as printedActual, adjusted for inflationBudgeted, adjusted for inflation
FY1994$6,951,622not published$14,974,588not published
FY1995$7,468,739not published$15,760,040not published
FY1996$7,818,112not published$16,101,740not published
FY1997$8,925,219not published$17,812,468not published
FY1998$9,540,942not published$18,603,478not published
FY1999$9,946,571not published$18,993,146not published
FY2000$10,324,128not published$19,039,860not published
FY2001$11,025,671not published$19,435,916not published
FY2002$11,950,457not published$20,444,977not published
FY2003$12,682,682not published$20,970,864not published
FY2004$12,577,557not published$20,093,814not published
FY2005$12,477,955not published$19,489,083not published
FY2006$13,976,437not published$21,001,379not published
FY2007$14,561,883not published$21,407,642not published
FY2008$14,903,224not published$21,339,218not published
FY2009$15,155,736not published$21,375,232not published
FY2010$15,471,660not published$21,627,809not published
FY2011$15,548,411not published$21,457,781not published
FY2012$16,265,437not published$21,893,826not published
FY2013$16,958,752not published$22,486,362not published
FY2014$17,672,191not published$23,093,511not published
FY2015$18,452,511not published$23,841,359not published
FY2016$19,004,427not published$24,351,255not published
FY2017$19,861,673not published$24,924,813not published
FY2018$21,483,776not published$26,205,531not published
FY2019$22,038,813not published$26,156,149not published
FY2020$22,275,868not published$26,011,017not published
FY2021$22,735,918not published$26,250,196not published
FY2022$23,919,189not published$26,104,637not published
FY2023$24,273,713not published$24,965,301not published
FY2024$24,043,452not published$24,043,452not published
FY2025not published$25,420,400not published$24,629,546
FY2026not published$27,085,833not published$25,568,587

Bars as printed by DESE. Lines adjusted for inflation: each older year at what it would cost at FY2024 prices (Boston-area prices, ours).

1 · The facts

  • $14,974,588

    net school spending, FY1994, adjusted for inflation

  • 1.61

    times the FY1994 figure, FY2024, after inflation

  • 2.15

    times the FY1994 price level, FY2024, July-June

  • $6,951,622

    net school spending, FY1994, as printed

  • $24,043,452

    net school spending, FY2024, actual

  • 3.46

    times the FY1994 figure, FY2024, as printed

  • $27,085,833

    net school spending, FY2026, budgeted

  • 21

    of 30 year-to-year steps rose after inflation

  • 26.3%

    Chapter 70 aid as a share of it, FY1994

  • 36.7%

    Chapter 70 aid as a share of it, FY2024

2 · What it shows

  1. 1

    After inflation, net school spending rose in 21 of 30 steps from FY1994 to FY2024.

  2. 2

    Chapter 70 aid was 26.3% of it in FY1994 and 36.7% in FY2024; the rest came through the town.

  3. 3

    As printed spending is 3.46 times FY1994; prices are 2.15 times, so after inflation 1.61.

  4. 4

    FY2025 and FY2026 are budgets and are never set against the actual years.

Net school spending and Chapter 70 aid by year
YearAs printedAdjusted for inflationChapter 70 aidAid share
FY2026 (budgeted)$27,085,833$25,568,587$9,229,41034.1%
FY2025 (budgeted)$25,420,400$24,629,546$8,988,96035.4%
FY2024$24,043,452$24,043,452$8,819,12836.7%
FY2023$24,273,713$24,965,301$8,722,22835.9%
FY2022$23,919,189$26,104,637$7,823,61832.7%
FY2021$22,735,918$26,250,196$7,773,93834.2%
FY2020$22,275,868$26,011,017$7,771,74034.9%
FY2019$22,038,813$26,156,149$7,538,07234.2%
FY2018$21,483,776$26,205,531$7,272,50533.9%
FY2017$19,861,673$24,924,813$6,351,25732.0%
FY2016$19,004,427$24,351,255$5,834,48330.7%
FY2015$18,452,511$23,841,359$5,605,87230.4%
FY2014$17,672,191$23,093,511$5,354,69630.3%
FY2013$16,958,752$22,486,362$5,219,93730.8%
FY2012$16,265,437$21,893,826$4,522,54527.8%
FY2011$15,548,411$21,457,781$4,498,39628.9%
FY2010$15,471,660$21,627,809$4,528,37429.3%

DESE’s figures; the share and the real dollars are ours (BLS Boston-area CPI-U, July-June averages). The last two years are budgets.

Sources

What changed

Version 15 — updated September 20, 2026