Initially, committee members E. Denise Simmons and Alfred B. Fantini had suggested making the merger contingent on getting funds for a new or renovated building.

"Are we willing to go before the City Council and tie ourselves to the new building?" Simmons said.

Under the final measure, representatives of the school committee and the City Council will meet in the coming days with D'Alessandro, Mayor Anthony D. Galluccio and Healy to talk about more moderate renovations to one of the schools.

In a letter to the school committee, Healy said his office would work "within reason" to resolve the funding question. But, the letter said, Healy believed a new school or major renovations could not be funded "solely with local tax dollars."

Members of the steering committee, a group of parents, teachers and district administrators that met weekly since the fall to draw up recommendations for the merger plan, spoke before the committee to urge members to vote for the merger.

They said they felt the committee had promised them money for a new or renovated building. But they said the school committee should let the curriculum changes go forward.

"We are very disappointed at not having the money for the capital funding," said Lenora M. Jennings, the district's executive director for student achievement and accountability and a member of the steering committee. "But we are committed to stay focused on the programs."