To the editor:
I would like to echo concerns stated by Mr. Jack Buba in last week’s letter (Feb. 22).
Evidently, many town citizens (and administrators) need to be reminded that since 1995 the Marblehead Community Charter Public School (MCCPS) has been successfully operating on a fixed state-funding budget based on a per-pupil expense (PPE).
For 28 years, 230 students per year, in fourth through eighth grades, have been receiving a first-class education without incurring deficits and/or overrides. How does that happen, and why isn’t that possible for all our public school districts?
The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 changed how the Commonwealth supported, administered and funded the education services of our public school students in local school districts. The fact that many MCCPS students go on to high school in advanced placement classes and receive scholarships to North Shore private high schools enhances the reputation of a public school education administered and operating within budget constraints. Perhaps our town finance and school committees et al. need to be “schooled” on how to manage expenses within our citizen taxpayer means?
R.A. Erbetta
Chestnut Street
