School aid hike benefits suburbs

Fifteen area school systems received double-digit increases in state aid this fiscal year, and may continue to get big increases for several years, as they benefit from changes in the way the state funds schools.

Communities getting the most include some of the wealthiest in the area, such as Westwood, up 19.6 percent; Duxbury, 13.4 percent; and Hingham, 12.5 percent. Others did well, too, including Freetown, 18 percent; Braintree, 17.8 percent; and Walpole, 17.5 percent.

The additional money is welcome news to suburban school systems struggling to avoid cutbacks and layoffs during tight financial times.

Twelve systems received increases of less than 4 percent. At the bottom was Hull, with 1.8 percent.

Superintendents cheered the increases. Some had felt that the old formula shortchanged the suburbs at the expense of urban districts. The formula was changed after complaints from suburban school systems.

The new calculation gives towns at least 17.5 percent of the minimum amount the state says should be spent on education. That means that communities that were receiving well below that minimum -- including some of the state's more well-off districts -- benefit. Also, schools with increased enrollment see an increase in state aid.

"It helps significantly, and our hope is it will continue in this trend for years to come," said Superintendent Peter Kurzberg in Braintree. The school system, which has 5,000 students and a $43 million budget, will get an additional $1.1 million from the state this year.

During the campaign for governor, "I was really heartened by Deval Patrick when he acknowledged that suburban school systems have the same pressures as urban systems," said Superintendent Mark R. Mason of Scituate. "Boston and Brockton have needs, but let's not forget the Newtons and Brooklines. He got my vote because of it."

Scituate schools received a 14.2 percent increase in state aid. Combine that with a $2.8 million override and the schools "are in a very good place for the next two years," said Mason.

That's a change from previous years. Scituate, like other systems, was starved for cash. For five straight years, the system received an increase in state aid of just under 3 percent a year but had contractual obligations of 4.2 percent.

The smiles were also wide in Westwood schools, which collected the largest increase in the region. As in other systems, officials had believed the old formula treated them unfairly.

The 3,000-student district received about $500,000 more from the state this year, and expects to receive additional help for the next few years.

That doesn't solve every problem that goes with a budget of approximately $30 million, but "at least it's a positive trend," said Superintendent John Antonucci. "Our future is slightly brighter."

The money was part of the state's $26.8 billion budget passed last month which included $3.1 billion in aid for schools, up 6.4 percent from last year.

Statewide, state aid on average makes up close to 40 percent of school budgets, although it varies widely. School aid is determined by a complicated formula that takes into account enrollment, property values, and income. The new formula is in its second year.

Almost no community school districts received less than last year. The exceptions were a handful of districts that received only small amounts of state aid last year.

Pembroke saw a $1.4 million increase, mostly because of enrollment, said associate superintendent Dick White.

The town is going through a building boom, which has brought more students in to the system, and students who might have transferred to private schools in past years decided to stay in the system because it has performed well, he said.

Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.