Regional School District Organization

Laws and Regulations:

• MGL, chapter 71, section 14-16I — governs all regional districts

• MGL, chapter 74 — governs vocational programs

• DESE regulations on regional districts: 603 CMR 41.00

Advisories and Guidance

• Guidance on Municipal Approval of a Regional School District Budget, March 2025

• Excess and Deficiency (E&D) above Five Percent of a Regional School District's total budget

• Advisory on the Establishment of a Regional Transportation Reimbursement Fund

• Fiscal Intervention and Oversight — Guidance for Regional School Districts

Reports:

• Report of the Legislative Commission on School District Collaboration and Regionalization

• School District Consolidation in Massachusetts
  This document provides a brief history of regionalization; explains the complex web of relationships that already exist among districts; looks at some demographic, fiscal, and programmatic factors that might motivate districts to regionalize; and uncovers some lessons from a recent series of regionalization studies. It is also intended as a companion piece to a more in depth report on the outcomes of recent planning studies included in the following document.

• Results of Regional Planning Studies
  This report summarizes the individual results of recent planning studies in the context of the district's existing affiliations and compares the current findings with concerns and benefits that have been identified in the past.

• Patrick Administration Awards Regional Planning Grants to 12 Communities

Professional Organizations:

• MARS: Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools

• MAVA: Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators

• MASC: Massachusetts Association of School Committees

Formation and Amendments:

• A Pathway to Regionalization

MGL c.71, s.14B outlines the process for establishing and amending a regional school district agreement. All regional school district agreements and amendments to those agreements must be approved by the Commissioner of Education in accordance with the law and regulation noted above. Communities interested in forming a regional school district or regional school districts interested in amending their regional school district agreement or admitting a new member should contact Christine M. Lynch by e-mail at clynch@doe.mass.edu or by phone at 781-338-6520.

• Regional School District Agreement Checklist:
  This document may be used as a guide for those interested in exploring the formation of a regional school district.

Amendment Process:

• A complete copy of the latest approved agreement and any proposed amendment must be submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for review prior to receiving local approval

• Final approval by the Commissioner will be subject to legal approval and receipt of all authorized local votes

• In the case of any new regional school district agreement or any amendment to a regional agreement that changes the membership of the regional school district (admission or withdrawal of member town) or the grades served by the regional school district, regulations require that all requisite approvals, including the Commissioner's approval, shall be obtained no later than the preceding December 31 for an effective date the following July 1.

Budget Process:

• Advisory Memorandum on FY10 Regional School District Budgets

• Developing the Regional Budget

• Preparing Member Assessments: Guidance for Regional School Districts

• Advisory on Regional School District Stabilization Funds

Information and Statistics:

• Listing of Regional School Districts

  • FY25 Listing of Academic Districts

  • FY25 Listing of Vocational Districts

• School District Organization Fact Sheet

• School district organization charts

  • Configuration of School Districts in Massachusetts — 2025

  • Configuration of Cities and Towns in Massachusetts — 2025

Superintendency Unions

Massachusetts General Laws allows the school committees of two or more towns to join together to form a union school committee. The organization of the union school committee is governed by statute, as are its powers, which are limited to the authority to employ a superintendent of schools, school physicians, school nurses, clerical and secretarial personnel, special teachers, and supervisors. All other powers and responsibilities are retained by the local school committees of the member towns. There are 16 superintendency unions in Massachusetts. In 2025, 16 superintendents and 62 school committees serve 48 municipal school districts and 14 regional school districts, with 81 schools serving 28,583 students. Currently 46 of the municipalities participating in superintendency unions also are members of regional school districts; 42 of these are members of regional school districts that hire the same superintendent and central office staff. For information on superintendency unions, contact Michelle Griffin at 781-338-6515 or Michelle.L.Griffin@mass.gov .

Tuitioning Arrangements

In accordance with provisions of Chapter 71, sections 1, 4 and 6, the school committees on the list that follows below are permitted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education not to maintain school serving certain grade levels and to tuition their students to other school districts for the school year 2024-2025.

• FY25 School Committees with Tuition Arrangements

Last Updated: March 26, 2025