Braintree schools present $82.8 million level-services budget; public hearing set for April 14

Braintree School Committee finance staff presented a level-services FY26 budget totaling $82,800,000, a 4.1% increase ($3,256,000) over FY2025, and said the committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on April 14 at the Colbert School.

"This is the same level services budget that we've been looking at for the last couple of budget presentations," said Ms. Kaufman, the staff member who led the slides and the summary presentation to the committee. She identified transportation, software maintenance and special education (including out‑of‑district tuition) as the major cost drivers.

The budget as presented does not include any buffer for additional out‑of‑district special education placements beyond the levels seen this year. Instead, Ms. Kaufman said, the town and schools have agreed to a special education stabilization fund that would be the funding source for any additional placements that arise in FY26. Committee members also noted that all union contracts remain unsettled and represent a major unknown as the district develops the FY26 plan.

The presentation included several operational clarifications discussed during the meeting: the RFID library/software line was funded last year by a grant and this is the first year it is folded into the operating budget; transportation fee increases were implemented last year; and a small bus line item of $55,000 shown in the budget figure includes the vehicle and the driver, according to staff. Ms. Kaufman said the version presented assumes current placements and does not include additional contingency for unexpected out‑of‑district special education costs.

Committee members and staff encouraged the public to use the April 14 hearing to raise any remaining questions. Finance and Operations members said the committee could, depending on the outcome of that hearing, vote on budget categories the same night before the budget moves to Ways and Means and the Town Council later in May.

For context, the finance staff reminded the committee that the transportation fee increase discussed in earlier meetings already hit the operating budget last year, while the RFID line previously drew from a grant. The committee asked for confirmation of where special programs (for example, the LINCS class) will be located; staff said placements are finalized as kindergarten placements and program assignments are confirmed later in the spring.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the FY26 budget at the March 31 meeting; staff scheduled the public hearing for April 14 and said the committee may vote on budget categories that night.