FY 23 Review
In August 2023, the Brockton Public Schools announced that the district's budget for the preceding year -- Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) -- was overspent. The total budget deficit has been determined to be $18 million for FY23, which ran from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.
In the wake of the deficit revelation, the Brockton Public Schools, the City of Brockton and the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education each commissioned independent reviews of the facts and circumstances that led to the deficit.
The Commonwealth commissioned Open Architects to review the district's finances, resulting in a report that provided key insight into the drivers of the FY23 budget deficit, as well as a roadmap for FY24 and FY25. The Brockton Public Schools have since independently retained Open Architects to continue the work of evaluating the district's budgeting and spending. So far, as a result of that partnership, the district has established monitoring systems and internal controls, including more detailed accounting, and utilizing actual expense information from prior years.
Additionally, in Fiscal Year 24 and continuing into Fiscal Year 25, the district established the practice of providing regular updates to the School Committee on the district's year-to-date spending.
The Brockton Public Schools commissioned independent firm RSM to conduct a thorough, independent review of the FY23 budget deficit. The Those findings are linked below. Additionally, the RSM report will be made available in multiple languages as soon as translations are completed.
Brockton Public Schools' Report (RSM) - Released September 2024
Open Architects Report - Released march 2024
The findings of the independent investigation commissioned by the City of Brockton, which is separate and distinct from the RSM review, is available on the city's website at www.cobma.us.