After months of budget discussions that at one point included drastic staff and program cuts, the School Committee on April 8 approved a $46,759,110 budget for fiscal 2025 that restores many of those reductions. The Finance Committee voted to recommend the budget at Town Meeting on May 6.
The schools’ spending plan represents a $1 million, or 2.2%, increase over last year’s budget.
After initially projecting 36 staff eliminations, along with program and supply cuts, the district did what the School Committee called a “deep dive” into its reserve and revolving funds, and received an additional $250,000 from the town, totalling $1.4 million in restorations, according to interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness.
Rather than 36, the budget now cuts 13 positions. Of those, five are currently filled and would result in layoffs, and one is an anticipated resignation, McGuinness said. Six positions will be vacant due to retirements on June 30. Another two are voluntary reductions.
McGuinness wrote in an email to staff April 9, “The outcome is a solid budget that balances requisite fiscal responsibility (due to a structural deficit in the town) with appropriate staffing needed to teach and care for our students during the 2024-2025 school year.”
In addition to the cut positions, there are other items that did not get added back to the budget, including some instructional and custodial supplies and $30,000 in professional development.
“As always, we will continue to explore alternative funding through grants and local partnerships to continue to meet the ongoing needs of our district,” McGuinness wrote.
The budget also relies on families paying higher student participation fees for sports and extracurricular activities.
The Finance Committee alerted the School Committee that is should be prepared to cut another $200,000 if proposed meals and rooms taxes are not approved at Town Meeting.
Also, it’s unclear how ongoing contract talks with teachers will impact the budget. The teachers’ contract expires this summer. The educators are demanding more paid parental leave and are expected to stage a “walk-in” at every school in town this Thursday, when they will gather outside their schools and walk in together in a show of solidarity.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.