Franklin School Committee adopts $78.31 million FY26 budget after $2 million shortfall forces staff and program reductions

The Franklin School Committee on a unanimous roll-call vote approved a final fiscal 2026 budget of $78,309,495, adopting a set of reductions to cover a $2 million funding shortfall after the town council’s final allocation.

The vote, taken after a lengthy public meeting and discussion with district leaders, moves the district past a prolonged budget process and implements cuts the administration says preserve core instructional programs while trimming operating costs and some positions.

Superintendent Lucas said the budget package was built to protect the instructional core and essential student services while addressing the shortfall: “We will continue to do that with the resources we have available to us,” he told the committee.

The approved plan reduces primarily non‑salary accounts (about two‑thirds of the reductions) and includes specific operating and personnel changes documented by district staff during the meeting. Major elements the committee cited include:

- Total FY26 appropriation: $78,309,495; the district identified a $2,000,000 gap after the town council’s allocation and proposed the reductions to balance the budget ahead of the July 1 fiscal year start.

- Non‑salaried reductions: a 22% reduction in the daily substitute pool; a 15% reduction across district and school supply accounts; a $110,000 cut to textbooks and software in the Office of Teaching and Learning (partially to be offset by lost‑book revolving accounts); reduced funds for summer…