OVERVIEW

This is general budget information. Please use links on the right for information specific to a fiscal budget year.

Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 16B outlines the process for the approval of a regional school district budget. Beyond the requirements of MGL 16B, the district must also consider the mandates of the regional agreement between the towns and the district. In all cases, the laws of the Commonwealth supersede that of any other agreement.

The Triton Regional Agreement requires the same criteria for budget approval as the state; approval by 2/3 of the member communities at the annual town meeting.

General Annual Budget Development Timeline

  • October – December: Internal Budget Preparation by District Administration

  • Early January: Principals and Directors Make Budget Presentations to School Committee

  • Mid-January: Saturday Budget Workshop – Committee Establishes Plan for Funding

  • Mid to Late January: Administrative Internal Budget Preparation

  • February: Formal Budget Presentation to the School Committee – Tentative Budget Approved

  • March: Final Budget Presentation to the School Committee – Final Budget Approved

  • Late March: Budget figures certified by district treasurer and sent to member towns for inclusion in town meeting warrants

  • Late April/Early May: Town meetings occur in each member town for approval of a district budget

NOTE:

Should the School Committee approved budget not gain approval by 2 of the 3 Town Meetings, the budget is returned to the TRSD School Committee which then has 30 days to reconsider the failed budget and make changes. The reconsidered budget is then returned to the Towns which must reconvene Town Meetings within 45 days of the School Committee’s passage of the reconsidered budget.

The TRSD Administration and Committee have worked closely with the member communities during the development of the budgets since the district was formed. As such, since its establishment in 1994, the TRSD budgets have always gained approval at 2/3 of the annual Town Meetings, and almost always, all three.