A public hearing regarding the fiscal year 2012 School Department budget had the School Committee, Board of Selectmen, and Finance Committee brainstorming ways to fund an increase to the budget without crippling the town's overall budget, and agreeing that the formula the state uses to calculate aid causes particular challenges.

The School Committee holds a public hearing on the budget annually. This year, the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee were required to attend as the result of an article passed at October Town Meeting. Dozens of concerned residents also attended the meeting.

"There are no villains in this room and there are no villains at home," said School Committee member Geoff Swett, echoing the sentiment of many in attendance that all parties should put aside differences and work together to come up with a plan for the schools. "If there is a villain, it's the state of Massachusetts."

Swett explained that as costs, especially those associated with healthcare, have risen throughout the years, the state has not adequately adjusted Chapter 70 aid, the biggest source of money for school districts, leaving towns paying more, but receiving only modest increases in funding.

The $28 million school budget is roughly $2 million above this fiscal year's budget, and if funded fully, would present a $4 million deficit on the town side, according to Town Administrator Mark Andrews' proposed budget. For more on the school budget, click here.

Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch said the additional funding is needed to fill an "achievement gap" between Wareham students' averages and state averages, and would allow for new supplies, programs, and teaching positions to help close the gap. A lack of federal and state "stimulus" funding also contributed to the proposed increase, Rabinovitch said.

"To decrease the achievement gap, we need to decrease the spending gap," Rabinovitch said, pointing out that many other Massachusetts communities fund their school systems an average of 13% above what Wareham funds, which typically right around the minimum amount required by the state.

But Selectman Brenda Eckstrom said that compared to towns similar in socioeconomic status, "we're stepping up more than many communities."

Members of the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee pointed out that a fixed amount of revenue comes into the town through property taxes, and it would be impossible to fund the proposed school budget without cutting services in the town.

"There's only so much money in the Town of Wareham," said Selectman Steve Holmes. He suggested that perhaps the town and School Department should come up with a strategic plan for adding necessities like updated police cruisers, school buses, and teaching positions for schools, and fund the purchases and positions throughout a number of years, to lessen the blow on the budget.

Several concerned citizens also made suggestions.

Wareham Public Schools teacher Michael Collins suggested that the town switch to a classified tax rate, which would allow the town to set separate tax rates for residential and commercial properties.

"Maybe additional revenue can be drawn," Collins said.

But Town Administrator Mark Andrews noted that the tax rate, regardless of property type, could still not be increased by more than two-and-a-half percent annually (without a Town Meeting vote), due to Proposition 2½, which would likely lead the town to break even.

"You can go to classification. It's not going to change the bottom line," Andrews said.

Despite the funding troubles, hearing attendee and Town Moderator Claire Smith noted that the school district still produces successful graduates. Smith volunteers with the Wareham High School alumni association, and has served on committees that award college scholarships to Wareham grads.

"I don't want people to leave here tonight and short-sell the community and the education that we've given our children," said Smith, pointing out that Wareham graduates have gone on to schools such as Boston University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Brown University. "Our kids are getting a good education, and they are being competitive."

Ultimately, members of all boards said they recognized the need to work together to find a solution to the problem. After all, it is not yet known just how much state aid the schools or the town as a whole will receive for fiscal year 2012, or whether that number will cause the need for further cuts.

The School Committee will make a final vote on the budget at its January 26 meeting. It must submit the budget to Town Administrator Mark Andrews by February 1. Preliminary local aid numbers will be released by the state shortly thereafter.