PRESS RELEASE:

Massachusetts Department of Education Releases 2005 Per Pupil Expenditure Data

The Massachusetts DOE this week released the 2005 per pupil expenditure data for all school districts in the Commonwealth (see Per pupil expenditures are typically computed for “Regular Education” pupils, “Special Education” pupils, and all pupils on a combined basis. The statewide average per pupil expenditure was $7,355 for regular education students and $9,049 on a combined basis.

In Hopkinton, the expenditures last year were $7,023 for regular education pupils and $8,494 on a combined basis, in both cases lagging the state averages. Regular education students comprise more than 80% of Hopkinton’s pupils.

Comparisons of Hopkinton per pupil spending for 2005 were made across three comparable sets of school districts: (i) 23 Metrowest communities, (ii) 30 top performing academic school districts, and (iii) districts of similar enrollment. In all cases, the comparisons included only school districts in eastern Massachusetts. The comparisons are shown in the tables at the end of this report.

The comparisons show that Hopkinton lags in most categories and are summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1.

Comparison of Hopkinton 2005 School Spending to other School Districts

Reflects Per Pupil Expenditures for Regular Education

(Source: MA Department of Education, February 2006)

Average
Per Pupil Expenditure / Hopkinton
Per Pupil Expenditure / Amount
Hopkinton
Below Avg / Hopkinton
Rank Among
Comparison
Statewide Average / $7,355 / $7,023 / $332/pupil / --
23 MetroWest Districts / $8,013 / $7,023 / $990/pupil / 16th of 23
30 High Academic Districts / $7,799 / $7,023 / $776/pupil / 23rd of 30
34 Similar Enrollment Districts / $7,006 / $7,023 / ($17/pupil) / 16th of 34

If you have questions, or for more information, contact David Stoldt, Chairman, Hopkinton School Committee at or 508-954-8414.

Table 2.

Comparison of 2005 School Spending

23 MetroWest School Districts

(Includes communities from Rte 95 to Rte 495 and Rte 20 to Rte 109)

2005
Per Pupil
2004-05 / Expenditure
District / Enrollment / Regular Ed
Dover/Sherborn / 2,167 / 11,471 / (8,044/6,772)
Weston / 2,358 / 10,676
Framingham / 8,065 / 10,239
Lincoln/Sudbury / 5,953 / 9,777 / (13,809/n/a)
Newton / 11,425 / 9,338
Southboro/Northboro / 4,881 / 8,620 / (6,786/n/a)
Wayland / 2,935 / 8,564
Dedham / 2,945 / 8,498
Westwood / 2,830 / 8,253
Westboro / 3,507 / 8,060
Natick / 4,577 / 7,939
Wellesley / 4,396 / 7,809
Norwood / 3,657 / 7,780
Needham / 4,901 / 7,673
Holliston / 3,038 / 7,224
Hopkinton / 3,404 / 7,023
Marlboro / 4,787 / 6,823 / (2004 data)
Milford / 4,214 / 6,633
Walpole / 3,784 / 6,535
Ashland / 2,629 / 6,493
Medfield / 3,099 / 6,359
Millis / 1,336 / 6,300
Medway / 2,868 / 6,213
Average / 4,076 / 8,013
State per pupil average ------> / 7,355

Table 3.

Comparison of 2005 School Spending

30 High Performing Academic School Districts

(Possible schools not included: Reading, Shrewsbury, Swampscott, Lynnfield, Dover-Sherborn)

2005
Per Pupil
2004-05 / Expenditure
District / Enrollment / Regular Ed
Weston / 2,358 / 10,676
Lincoln/Sudbury / 5,953 / 9,777 / (13,809/n/a)
Brookline / 5,984 / 9,742
Bedford / 2,279 / 9,564
Concord/Carlisle / 4,066 / 9,484 / (9,110/7,601)
Newton / 11,425 / 9,338
Lexington / 6,184 / 8,597
Wayland / 2,935 / 8,564
Westwood / 2,830 / 8,253
Westboro / 3,507 / 8,060
Duxbury / 3,308 / 7,904
Acton/Boxboro / 5,782 / 7,847 / (6,054/5,683)
Wellesley / 4,396 / 7,809
Needham / 4,901 / 7,673
Norwell / 2,128 / 7,422
Andover / 5,959 / 7,409
Cohasset / 1,500 / 7,373
Hamilton/Wenham / 2,218 / 7,329
Winchester / 3,677 / 7,174 / (2004 data)
Marblehead / 3,071 / 7,164
Groton/Dunstable / 2,910 / 7,071
Belmont / 3,711 / 7,064
Hopkinton / 3,404 / 7,023
Sharon / 3,522 / 7,009
Hingham / 3,675 / 6,937
Westford / 5,133 / 6,800
Medfield / 3,099 / 6,359
Harvard / 1,254 / 6,286
Medway / 2,868 / 6,213
North Reading / 2,708 / 6,063
Average / 3,892 / 7,799
State per pupil average ------> / 7,355

Table 4.

Comparison of 2005 School Spending

34 School Districts of Similar Enrollment

(Includes districts within 500 students of Hopkinton enrollment;

Excludes 7 districts due to western location)

2005
Per Pupil
2004-05 / Expenditure
District / Enrollment / Regular Ed
Burlington / 3,522 / 9,117
Wayland / 2,935 / 8,564
Dedham / 2,945 / 8,498
Westborough / 3,507 / 8,060
Duxbury / 3,308 / 7,904
Canton / 2,990 / 7,840
Norwood / 3,657 / 7,780
Nashoba / 3,117 / 7,581
Danvers / 3,630 / 7,518
Holliston / 3,038 / 7,224
Winchester / 3,677 / 7,174 / (2004 data)
Marblehead / 3,071 / 7,164
Milton / 3,594 / 7,127
Groton-Dunstable / 2,910 / 7,071
Belmont / 3,711 / 7,064
Hopkinton / 3,404 / 7,023
Sharon / 3,522 / 7,009
Hingham / 3,675 / 6,937
Wakefield / 3,484 / 6,889
Wareham / 3,417 / 6,828
Middleborough / 3,595 / 6,770
Wilmington / 3,835 / 6,758
Foxborough / 2,943 / 6,706
Saugus / 3,188 / 6,706
Scituate / 3,232 / 6,562
Walpole / 3,784 / 6,535
Medfield / 3,099 / 6,359
Triton / 3,464 / 6,325
Randolph / 3,628 / 6,115 / (2004 data)
Easton / 3,853 / 6,043
Stoneham / 2,991 / 5,878
Dighton-Rehoboth / 3,381 / 5,856
Melrose / 3,586 / 5,612
Norton / 3,230 / 5,606
Average / 3,380 / 7,006
State per pupil average ------> / 7,355