Board moves $89.12 million operating budget to deliberative session after public questions on staffing, placements and social supports

The Londonderry School Board voted 5‑0 on Jan. 14 to place the district’s proposed operating budget for fiscal 2025–26 on the March deliberative session.

The board’s warrant language listed two budget choices: the proposed operating budget of $89,116,875 (the board‑recommended figure) and the default budget of $89,240,249. District presenters said the recommended budget is roughly $33,000 below last year’s voter‑approved operating figure and about $123,000 below the statutory default budget.

Nut graf: District leaders described a largely level‑funded operating plan that seeks to maintain core academic and co‑curricular programs while responding to lower enrollment and rising out‑of‑district special‑education placement costs. The budget includes targeted new investments and staff changes the district says will better serve students while holding overall spending roughly flat.

Key details - Size and drivers: presenters said the proposed budget is about $89.12 million and that the district is projecting a net enrollment decline of about 61 students. The largest new cost driver noted was a roughly $1.2 million increase for placed special‑education students. Other savings came from retired bonds and lower one‑time literacy rollout costs from the prior year. - New investments: the recommended budget adds a social worker to serve grades 6–12, funds a new fire‑science/ career‑connected learning class and provides modest funding to expand advanced placement classes and middle‑school athletics stipends. Administrators said the social worker will be a district employee and the district will pursue any eligible Medicaid or other reimbursement channels where applicable but that routine social‑worker support for general students would be a school service rather than a Medicaid‑billable service unless tied to a specific IEP or 504 plan. - Staff reductions: presenters said the budget reduces about 14 staff positions over a two‑year period (net savings of about $1.1 million), including two special‑education positions and two high‑school staff positions; presenters said those reductions respond to lower enrollment and program changes and that administrators will use the spring to finalize assignments and staffing details.

Public questions and concerns During the public hearing, parents and residents asked about the social‑worker role, parental consent for counseling services, details of special‑education staffing cuts and the district’s ability to serve students with high needs. Kim (special education director) clarified that Medicaid billing to schools applies only when services are prescribed in an IEP or written plan and that general social‑work supports for students without such prescription are not currently a Medicaid billing pathway. Board members and staff repeatedly said the district would collaborate with families and obtain parental consent when appropriate.

Board action and next steps The board opened a public hearing on the operating budget, took public comment and then voted to move the proposed operating budget to the deliberative session. Motion to move the operating budget to the deliberative session passed 5‑0 (motion by Sarah Laughlin; second by Tim Porter). The board also recorded a 5‑0 vote in favor of supporting the budget at the deliberative session.

The superintendent and finance staff said they will post detailed budget documents and continue public outreach prior to the deliberative session. The budget will be considered again by the budget committee at a later scheduled meeting.

(Transcript excerpts show the operating‑budget presentation beginning with district staff overview and participants’ questions and the motions to place Article 3 on the deliberative session.)