LENOX â After identifying a series of savings and newly available grant funding, the School Department has met Town Administrator Christopher Ketchenâs target limiting the proposed education budget for the next fiscal year to a 3 percent increase. During a resumed School Committee public hearing Monday night, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Melissa Falkowski presented a reduced operating budget total, including benefits and incorporating revenue from school choice and other sources, of $14,198,000. The previous budget proposed last month, reflecting a 4.7 percent increase over the current year, came to $14,444,000. By the numbers Highlights of the newly revised 2021-22 Lenox School Department budget proposal, compared with spending for the current fiscal year: