Narragansett superintendent presents level-service budget as towns weigh overrides

Dr. Christopher Casavant, superintendent of the Narragansett Regional School District, presented a level-service budget to the Town of Templeton select board and advisory committee during a joint informational meeting in March 2025, and said he will also present a separate budget that assumes a 2.5% increase over last year to the school committee the following day.

Casavant said the current packet is a "level-service" picture of costs and cautioned listeners that "this is really a tale of two budget presentations" — one shown that night and one that will reflect a 2.5% limit. He said the budget he showed represents the services the district currently provides.

The presentation matters because the district projects continued enrollment increases, rising transportation and employee-benefit costs, and steady special-education demand — all of which push up the district’s required spending even if state aid grows only modestly. Casavant told the boards that, on the expense side, the district’s budget drivers include yellow-school-bus transportation, Worcester retirement costs, group and health-insurance increases, and contractual pay step increases; he said a staff cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 3% is included in the current projection.

Key facts and figures from Casavant’s presentation and the public Q&A: the district reported roughly 343.3 total positions; state “Chapter 78” aid added $561,748 because the district’s foundation enrollment rose by 17 students; the district has cut net school-choice positions and now funds nine teachers through the school-choice account; the district has about four open teaching positions (a high-school special-education teacher, an elementary special-education chair and two middle-school special-education teachers, Casavant said); and the district’s projected increase in expenses at one point in the presentation was described as 6.89%.

Casavant highlighted program investments and efficiencies: a partnership-based MVP Academy with Montachusett Tech for a small cohort of students, field and athletic improvements, library e-book adoption to increase access and recapture space, and HVAC and heat-pump work intended to reduce energy costs. He said the district moved health insurance costs out of the school-choice account last year to stabilize that fund.

Several residents and board members pressed Casavant for details. Questions focused on how school choice affects staffing, whether preschool responsibilities are covered by the current inter-municipal agreements, and the district’s contingency plans if federal funding were interrupted. In response to a question about federal aid, Casavant said the district receives roughly $1.3 million in federal funds and that the larger, critical chunk for special education (IDEA) — which he cited at about $2.42 million when describing federal SPED support broadly — would be very difficult for the district to replace quickly if it were lost.

Casavant repeatedly emphasized that the packet shown that night was informational only and that he would present a separate budget limited to a 2.5% increase the following day based on guidance from the town chairs. He said the school district will make additional cuts if instructed to meet a lower town funding level.

The meeting included discussion of enrollment trends: Casavant said resident enrollment has increased since the COVID period, while the district has purposefully reduced incoming school-choice slots to protect class sizes. He noted a kindergarten class of 109 students this year and described the district’s recent efforts to better align teacher/administrator pay with nearby districts.

Next steps: Casavant will present the 2.5%-increase budget to the Narragansett school committee; town leaders and voters will ultimately decide whether to support an override. The presentation was informational and did not include a formal vote by the select board or school committee.