Fall River Public Schools FY’25 Budget Approved By City

FALL RIVER —  Superintendent Tracy Curley is pleased to announce that the Fall River City Council and Mayor Paul Coogan has approved $186 million in school-related funding for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

The city budget, which took effect Monday, includes a $175,770,406 appropriation for the schools and $10,897,280 for school transportation. Those funding levels represent increases of 7.2% and 5.4%, respectively, over last year.

The budget provides sufficient money to absorb all positions currently funded by federal ESSER grants, which are expiring on Sept. 30, as well as funding for a new elementary school, which will help reduce class sizes district-wide. 

“On behalf of the schoolchildren of Fall River, I want to thank Mayor Coogan and the City Council for prioritizing our schools and ensuring Fall River students have the teachers and support staff they require to learn and thrive,” Superintendent Curley said. “The positions that have been funded by ESSER grants are a critical piece of our strategy to support our students’ mental health, behavioral and academic needs.” 

Of the 89 positions currently funded with ESSER dollars, 81 will be absorbed into the district’s operating budget. Another 8 positions will be funded using federal Title I grants. 

The budget also funds a new elementary school in the Westall School District. The new school will have the ability to host approximately 300 students, who live within a one-mile radius of the site, which will offer a traditional “neighborhood” opportunity for families and alleviate class size pressures across the city. In addition, the budget will allow the district to continue the curriculum adoption process across multiple content areas, and coordinate professional development opportunities that emphasize support and gap-closing strategies for English learners and students with disabilities.  

“At a time when many school districts around the state are making hard decisions regarding staffing levels, Fall River is continuing to invest in our students’ education by maintaining staffing levels, support structures, and other instructional resources across the district,” Superintendent Curley said. “I am grateful to all the stakeholders who came together and endorsed a FY2025 budget that places our students first.”

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