At the Oct. 9 meeting Superintendent Bella Wong and staff presented a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Town of Brookline and Brookline Public Schools that would set regular, shared practices for fiscal reporting and systems work between the two entities.

Wong said the draft MOU was prepared with town leadership (town administrator Chaz Carey and deputy town administrator) and PSB central office staff and that the document is intended to: formalize quarterly public budget updates from the district to the School Committee (with copies to the town administrator and advisory subcommittee); set a joint five‑year revenue and expenditure review process prior to public release of financial plans; form a joint working group to address Munis (chart of accounts, reporting cleanup and encumbrance use); and document continuing procurement training and a review of financial policies. The draft MOU included an agreement to provide a late‑fall report on student‑services expenses and oversight and to sunset the MOU in one year unless extended.

Wong said the draft would also be presented to the Select Board on Oct. 14 by town administration, and she asked the committee to authorize her to execute the MOU after both governing bodies approve it. The committee voted to authorize execution; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote.

In a related administrative update Wong reported that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) had completed a targeted fiscal review of the district’s IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) grant for fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Wong said DESE’s review covered expenditures, procurement and recordkeeping and that, after a thorough review, DESE “noted no areas of noncompliance relative to the use of IDEA funds for the respective years in review and no corrective action required.” She called the result “an excellent result” given the complexity of IDEA requirements and thanked staff for their work compiling records during the review.

What the committee will do next: Wong and town administration plan to bring the draft MOU to their respective governing bodies for approval, and the district will prepare the late‑fall student‑services fiscal presentation referenced in the agreement. Wong said she would share the DESE letter with the committee by email.

Ending: Committee members praised the collaboration with town leadership and the audit result; the MOU and the IDEA audit finding were presented as steps to improve transparency and rebuild confidence in the district’s fiscal monitoring.