The Needham School Committee was visited by two members of the Massachusetts State Legislature on Tuesday night, when Rep. Denise Garlick and Sen. Richard Ross discussed matters involving schools across the commonwealth.

Garlick, a resident of Needham, said she was happy to speak to the School Committee directly and felt strongly about the way Needham’s schools are being run.

“I am so proud of my hometown,” Garlick said, noting that she was especially proud of the community's leadership.

Garlick started the discussion by giving an update on the budget, saying that the news was serious but not grim. While it is still a difficult economic time, she said,  all indicators point toward a level-funded state budget, or better.

Garlick said that the governor's budget promised more than $5.2 billion in state funding to cities and towns, which is the highest level of investment the state has paid. And she said that the level-funded budget is actually good news.

 “I think we are on a steady course moving forward,” Garlick said.

Ross added that while it is still in the early stages of the process, the budget will be interesting. However, he said that education has been looked at as a number one priority.

One issue that did come up, which has been a bit of a hot button issue, is the cost of transportation. Ross said that there are things that simply cannot be controlled, such as the high prices for gas. With hundreds of gallons in each bus, the rising cost of gas prices directly affects everyone.

“We try to have affordable, safe transportation in this economic time,” Ross said. “And it’s very challenging.”

School Committee chairwoman Marianne Cooley agreed that transportation costs were an issue, saying that it has brought up some unfortunate conversations. She said that the board would rather not raise fees for parents.

Another area discussed was circuit breaker and special education funding. Garlick said that it was one of her main priorities.

Superintendent Dan Gutekanst said that Needham is in the process of reorganizing the special education department. He said that the reorganization is better for students and sustaining costs and added that the School Committee has been supporting it. Needham is not a community that has been asking the state to raise the circuit breaker, he added.

Gutekanst also asked Garlick and Ross to protect funding for school nurses in the case of budget cuts, encouraging the legislators to keep in mind that nurses are integral to the school system.

 “They are really our first responders for hundreds of students,” Gutekanst said.

School Committee member Joseph Barnes complimented Needham’s leadership within the school system, as well as the state legislature. He also noted how difficult it must be for them during the tough economic times, and thanked them for their help.