School spending

Spending by function

Lunenburg was in the state’s bottom quarter on 7 of 10 spending functions in FY2025.

1 · The facts

  • 7 of 10

    functions in the state’s bottom quarter, FY2025

  • $48

    professional development, a pupil

  • $172

    its state median

  • $226

    materials, equipment and technology, a pupil

  • $626

    its state median

  • $6,513

    teachers, a pupil

  • $8,000

    its state median

  • $2,010

    other teaching services, a pupil

  • $2,031

    its state median

  • 162 of 317

    other teaching services, rank

2 · What it shows

  1. 1

    Professional development was $48 a pupil against a median of $172; 25 districts spent less.

  2. 2

    Materials, equipment and technology was $226 against $626; 13 districts spent less.

  3. 3

    Teachers was $6,513 against $8,000. Other teaching services, $2,010 against $2,031, sat nearest its median.

Spending a pupil by function, FY2025
LunenburgState medianRank
Professional Development$48$172292 of 317
Instructional Materials, Equipment and Technology$226$626304 of 317
Operations and Maintenance$1,253$1,838288 of 318
Administration$581$785261 of 318
Instructional Leadership$1,109$1,428250 of 317
Pupil Services$1,908$2,415263 of 317
Teachers$6,513$8,000293 of 317
Guidance, Counseling and Testing$677$806226 of 316
Insurance, Retirement Programs and Other$3,459$3,788204 of 318
Other Teaching Services$2,010$2,031162 of 317

Each function over in-district FTE pupils, as DESE computes it; rank is highest spending first. All funds, reported after the year closed.

What was said

  • “Teachers have learned to spend school budgeted money at the start of the y ear otherwise they and their students are penalized because a frozen budget in November means an inability to purchase needed materia ls later in the school year. Teachers and parents donate supplies”

    School Committee minutes, 2024-02-07

  • “The North Middlesex superintendent reached out to me about potentially sharing resources as we have done in the past. Professional development with north Middlesex, they were looking for other opportunities to share resources”

    School Committee minutes, 2024-10-16

Sources

What changed

Version 15 — updated September 20, 2026