Freetown-Lakeville committee reviews FY26 budget, finds $485,216 in reductions and flags funding formula concerns

Summary

Acting administrators described line-by-line adjustments to the FY26 draft, reported an enrollment-based assessment error that will shift roughly $10,000 between the towns, and outlined $485,216 in savings found since the Feb. 5 presentation. Technology, special education and pool engineering study needs were highlighted.

The Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District school committee heard a detailed update on the FY26 budget and related program issues during its open meeting, with acting administrators reporting $485,216 in reductions to the draft budget and raising concerns about the state funding formula.

Acting Superintendent Jack Higgins told the committee that the administration had identified several categories of savings since the budget presentation on Feb. 5, and that the recommended FY26 budget now reflects more fine-tuned salary figures, updated out-of-district tuition projections and corrected enrollment counts used to calculate town assessments.

Higgins said an error was found in the FY25 assessment calculation: the FY25 enrollment figure that had been used did not match the state-provided foundational enrollment the regional agreement requires. That discrepancy will shift roughly $10,000 in assessment responsibility from Freetown to Lakeville (Freetown $10,000 less; Lakeville approximately $10,000 more), he said. The administration notified both towns and will use the correct foundational numbers going forward.

Wh…

Freetown-Lakeville committee reviews FY26 budget, finds $485,216 in reductions and flags funding formula concerns

Summary

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