WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – 22News takes a look at the federal, state, and local budgets to find out how they are teaming up to fund the education of re-settled children.
As these migrant families settle into communities across the state their children have a right to an education with the immediate costs passed onto school districts, but the state is working to help as the crisis grows.
West Springfield for example has around 100 migrant families living in hotels adding students to their public school system. So what does it cost to add these students?
At the surface, Massachusetts spends more than most states on per-pupil education, more than $20,000. Most of that, more than $11,000 is funded at the local level, nearly matched by the state, and supplemented by the federal government.
The state also has dedicated lines in its education budget to lessen the strain even increasing funding levels for school meal programs this year to help out.
Additionally, the most recent supplemental budget also included a boost to local districts to accommodate emergency education needs. The Town of West Springfield is and has been for years one of the highest refugee resettlement communities per capita in the entire northeast.
22News spoke to West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt about the impact that has on education.
Duncan MacLean is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2019. Follow Duncan on X @DMacLeanWWLP and view his bio to see more of his work.
