Pembroke School Committee approves package of fee increases and several budget measures

The Pembroke School Committee on April 1 approved a set of fee increases for the 2025-26 school year and voted on several other routine items tied to the district's fiscal 2026 budget proposal.

The committee approved higher transportation, athletics, co-curricular, parking and preschool fees after discussions about equity, hardship waivers and the cumulative cost to families. Committee members and administrators described the fee increases as part of a broader effort to close a roughly $1.4 million operating gap in the school's initial spending plan and to bring Pembroke's fees closer to those charged in neighboring communities.

Why it matters: The new rates will affect families who pay bus, sports, club and preschool costs and will add revenue the district plans to use to preserve program investments and staffing in the FY26 administrative recommended budget.

Most significant changes approved

- Transportation: The committee approved raising the secondary transportation fee to $300 per student and a $500 family cap. Administrators said the change would generate about $28,465 annually and that families qualifying for SNAP or similar benefits still receive free transportation; the district will continue to offer payment plans and hardship waivers.

- Athletics: The committee approved raising the high-school athletics fee to $300 per athlete and a family cap of $550; it also approved a revised premium fee for football and hockey, raised to $150 per…