After a long and contentious meeting last night, the Cambridge School Committee unanimously approved the merger of the Fletcher and Maynard elementary schools, culminating months of debate. But the amount and source of funding for the merger remained unresolved.

The merger will be implemented this fall, revamping curriculum and staff at the two under-enrolled, poorly performing schools. Class sizes will be capped at 17 students and the new school will be exempt from the district's system of racial quotas.

Last night's meeting came one day after Superintendent of Schools Bobbie J. D'Alessandro met with City Manager Robert W. Healy to ask for as much as $15 million in municipal funding for extensive renovations of one of the existing facilities or construction of a new building. But Healy said the city could not afford those costs.

Under the measure passed last night, the committee effectively conceded it will not find the $12 to $15 million needed for extensive renovations or new building construction.

According to the measure, the committee pledged to push for funding to repair either the Fletcher or the Maynard building and to renovate to accommodate technology upgrades and additional classrooms. An architectural study currently underway will dictate the amount of funding needed, committee members said.

The committee will not vote until next month on which building will be the merged school's permanent home.

However, the measure passed last night does not guarantee funding.

"I don't want anyone to mistake a promise that we will work towards this as though we will be signing a check," said committee member Alice L. Turkel.