Ipswich, with about 2,200 students, is one of the many school districts in Massachusetts. Ipswich is governed by an open town meeting at which every registered voter may speak and vote. Budgets in Ipswich are highly detailed public documents in which every salary, classroom, and operating expenditure is identified. The budget book provides overviews, summaries, charts, and analyses, as well as plenty of information for individuals to argue for or against. Citizens began to become aware of the crisis as budget details were explained and publicized at televised meetings and in the press. The school administration spelled out clearly what would be lost. Soon, a core group of parents and businesspeople brought forth a call for "override" and the school committee agreed, though recent history suggested it would be unsuccessful. Meanwhile, like towns and cities everywhere that want to support their children, Ipswich is waiting and working for a permanent solution to the long-term problem: the cost of public education as currently delivered exceeds the available resources to support it. (Contains 3 tables.)