The district looks at the new construction as "more opportunities for more people," he said.

Other districts are looking for donations of used equipment from local businesses and colleges.

"We want concrete data," she said, explaining that the district would look for test score improvement.

The district also looked to neighboring school systems to find additional classroom space.

Some districts look for small cuts across the board.

A few districts look forward to restoring and even adding some programs.

The district is also looking into workshops for teachers on alternative ways to teach students.

The houses and the district had never looked any cheaper.

The historic district of town, crowded with 18th-century houses, looks much as visitors remember it.

Typically," he said, "a district takes care of everything and then looks to see how much is left for teachers.