Boston Superintendent Tommy Chang is proposing only a slight increase in school spending for next year, pushing overall spending to $1.1 billion and allowing for the expansion of a few initiatives, such as those for homeless students and young men of color.
The proposal represents an additional $16.5 million in spending over this year’s budget, about a 1.5 percent increase. School officials said the percentage is low for next school year because the school system and the teachers union are negotiating a new contract and it is not yet known how much of a raise teachers will receive for the next fiscal year.
Chang said the core mission of the budget is to ensure all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, can be successful in college and other endeavors.