Pay or headcount
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/pay-or-headcount.json
FY2025 had 15.2 fewer teachers than FY2009, but each cost $36,331 more; the teachers line rose $2,887,749.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Pay increase for the teachers remaining | $3,814,737 |
| Saved from fewer teachers | -$926,988 |
FY2009 to FY2025. $7,330,524, less what fewer teachers saved, plus the pay increase, is $10,218,273.
| Teachers spending | Teacher FTE | Spending per teacher FTE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2009 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| FY2010 | 102.0% | 100.2% | 101.8% |
| FY2011 | 98.8% | 85.1% | 116.0% |
| FY2012 | 101.9% | 95.2% | 107.0% |
| FY2013 | 102.2% | 85.7% | 119.3% |
| FY2014 | 102.2% | 83.7% | 122.2% |
| FY2015 | 103.4% | 84.5% | 122.3% |
| FY2016 | 108.8% | 87.1% | 124.9% |
| FY2017 | 114.5% | 93.3% | 122.8% |
| FY2018 | 116.5% | 95.8% | 121.7% |
| FY2019 | 117.4% | 91.9% | 127.7% |
| FY2020 | 121.5% | 89.4% | 136.0% |
| FY2021 | 126.1% | 90.4% | 139.5% |
| FY2022 | 128.3% | 92.6% | 138.5% |
| FY2023 | 133.8% | 93.8% | 142.6% |
| FY2024 | 153.8% | 94.8% | 162.2% |
| FY2025 | 139.4% | 87.4% | 159.6% |
Each over its own FY2009 value, as printed, not adjusted for inflation. FY2011 FTE reads low; see FY2011 teacher reading.
| As printed, our division | Adjusted for inflation | DESE’s average teacher salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2009 | $60,986 | $88,775 | not published |
| FY2010 | $62,094 | $89,588 | not published |
| FY2011 | $70,771 | $100,805 | not published |
| FY2012 | $65,270 | $90,677 | not published |
| FY2013 | $72,747 | $99,555 | not published |
| FY2014 | $74,504 | $100,486 | not published |
| FY2015 | $74,592 | $99,470 | not published |
| FY2016 | $76,147 | $100,704 | not published |
| FY2017 | $74,900 | $97,012 | not published |
| FY2018 | $74,192 | $93,404 | $74,236 |
| FY2019 | $77,908 | $95,432 | $77,908 |
| FY2020 | $82,935 | $99,951 | $83,054 |
| FY2021 | $85,067 | $101,370 | $85,067 |
| FY2022 | $84,485 | $95,165 | $85,426 |
| FY2023 | $86,948 | $92,296 | $88,019 |
| FY2024 | $98,894 | $102,069 | $98,894 |
| FY2025 | $97,317 | $97,317 | $97,233 |
Teachers spending over teacher FTE. Adjusted for inflation: each older year at what it would cost at FY2025 prices (Boston-area prices, ours).
1 · The facts
+$3,814,737
pay increase, the 105.0 teachers remaining, FY2009–FY2025
-$926,988
saved from 15.2 fewer teachers, at their FY2009 cost
+39.4%
Teachers spending: $7,330,524 to $10,218,273
105.0
teacher FTE, FY2025; 120.2 in FY2009, 103.0 in FY2013
+59.6%
per teacher FTE: $60,986 to $97,317, FY2009 to FY2025
+9.6%
the same, after Boston-area inflation
1.2%
widest gap to DESE’s average salary, FY2018 to FY2025
82.3%
teachers DESE counts experienced, FY2025; 86.0% in FY2018
2.5%
salary schedule adjustment, FY2025, teachers’ agreement
contract
—
teachers on each step and lane, each year
not published
2 · What it shows
- 1
15.2 fewer teachers saved $926,988; a pay increase for the 105.0 remaining added $3,814,737.
- 2
Spending per teacher went from $60,986 to $97,317; after Boston-area inflation, +9.6%.
- 3
Neither shows whether raises, step increases or a change in who is on staff drove it.
- 4
DESE counted 82.3% of teachers experienced in FY2025, against 86.0% in FY2018.
| Year | Teachers spending | Teacher FTE | Per FTE, ours | DESE average salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $10,218,273 | 105.0 | $97,317 | $97,233 |
| FY2024 | $11,273,905 | 114.0 | $98,894 | $98,894 |
| FY2023 | $9,807,685 | 112.8 | $86,948 | $88,019 |
| FY2022 | $9,403,207 | 111.3 | $84,485 | $85,426 |
| FY2021 | $9,246,816 | 108.7 | $85,067 | $85,067 |
| FY2020 | $8,907,216 | 107.4 | $82,935 | $83,054 |
| FY2019 | $8,608,851 | 110.5 | $77,908 | $77,908 |
| FY2018 | $8,539,508 | 115.1 | $74,192 | $74,236 |
| FY2017 | $8,396,281 | 112.1 | $74,900 | — |
| FY2016 | $7,972,611 | 104.7 | $76,147 | — |
| FY2015 | $7,578,542 | 101.6 | $74,592 | — |
| FY2014 | $7,495,143 | 100.6 | $74,504 | — |
| FY2013 | $7,492,920 | 103.0 | $72,747 | — |
| FY2012 | $7,466,943 | 114.4 | $65,270 | — |
| FY2011 | $7,239,913 | 102.3 | $70,771 | — |
| FY2010 | $7,476,058 | 120.4 | $62,094 | — |
| FY2009 | $7,330,524 | 120.2 | $60,986 | — |
DESE’s figures as printed, all funds; the division is ours. DESE prints an average salary only from FY2018.
Sources
- Massachusetts DESE, district expenditures by function code — district-expenditures-by-function.xlsx
- Lunenburg Budget Project — dese-function-expenditure.csv (spending by function code, by year)
- Massachusetts DESE — dese-teacher-data.xlsx
- Massachusetts DESE, district comparison — radar-district-comparison.xlsx
- Lunenburg Budget Project — dese-radar.csv (DESE’s comparison sheet, by measure and year)
- Lunenburg Budget Project — dese-teacher-subject.csv (teacher FTE and the share DESE counts experienced, by district and year)
- Lunenburg Education Association agreement, 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027, as filed with DESE — dese-teacher-contract.pdf
- the same agreement, the district’s copy, extracted text — lea-teachers-2024-2027.txt
- Lunenburg Budget Project — lea-teacher-salary-schedule.csv (the agreement’s salary schedules, step by lane)
- Lunenburg Budget Project — PROVENANCE.md (where the price index came from, and the fiscal-year average)
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Boston-Cambridge-Newton — cpi-u-CUURS11ASA0-1990-1999.json
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Boston-Cambridge-Newton — cpi-u-CUURS11ASA0-2000-2009.json
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Boston-Cambridge-Newton — cpi-u-CUURS11ASA0-2010-2019.json
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U Boston-Cambridge-Newton — cpi-u-CUURS11ASA0-2020-2026.json