Hopkinton looks to adopt open enrollment policy to avoid unexpected tuition bills

Leaders of the Hopkinton school district are bracing for the impact of open enrollment, which they perceive as more of a financial risk than an opportunity. 

At the district’s annual meeting in March, residents will see a warrant article proposing strict limits on open enrollment participation, an approach school board member Rob Nadeau views as “preventative defense” aimed at stemming funding issues the district might face. 

“I think it’s an attack on public education,” Nadeau said. “So, if you like your local control and you like your local taxes being spent where you voted on it, this is a bad idea.”

Nadeau, the other four school board members and Superintendent Amy Doyle have all signed an open letter to lawmakers criticizing the rapid push to make open-enrollment universal throughout the state.

Open enrollment allows families to send their children to school outside their home district. When that happens, the home district must pay at least 80% of per-pupil tuition to the receiving district.

The law currently allows school districts to dictate the terms of their open enrollment, including the number of students who are permitted to leave the district in favor of other schools.

Under the warrant article, the school district would pay for only as many students leaving Hopkinton as are coming in from other districts through open enrollment, directly tying participation to the district’s financial obligations.

Hopkinton is not alone in considering such measures. Other school districts like Pittsfield, Chichester and Epsom have also added open enrollment policy to their warrants. 

Legislation at the State House could render those local policies meaningless. The proposed bill would remove a district’s authority to limit the number of students who can leave under the policy.  If passed by the House and signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte, the bill would go into effect immediately, potentially before the end of the school year.

Many residents at the budget public hearing supported the decision to restrict open enrollment and opposed a universal open enrollment policy.

“It sounds awful to me, just personally, terrible idea,” said resident Elizabeth Sides.

Operating Budget

Residents will also decide on a $29.3 million operating budget for the school district, representing a 4.7% increase from last year. 

A significant factor driving the rise is the increasing tuition at Concord Regional Technical Center in Concord. 

If all warrant articles pass, the school portion of the tax rate is projected to reach $16.43.

The town’s operating budget, which voters will also consider, is $10.4 million, a 2.84% increase over the previous year. If all warrant articles are approved, the town portion of the tax rate is projected to be at $5.65.

Town and school taxes combined would be about $8,800 a year for a home worth $400,000.

Replacing culverts is a big driver of this year’s budget. A culvert near the transfer station on East Penacoock Road is on the state’s red list and will cost about $1.1 million to replace.

Vicky Bram, a member of the select board, said addressing the issue is urgent before the state labels the road as critical, which could force its closure.

“It’s losing its structural integrity,” Bram said. “We’re trying to get out ahead of that because it’d be a real pain to close the road right by the dump.” 

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