School Committee narrows FY26 balancing plan; favors modest fee increases, aims to reduce FTE cuts

Summary

Faced with a preliminary FY26 deficit of about $1.8 million, the Andover School Committee narrowed budget options and signaled support for a package that combines limited fee increases and non‑salary reductions to reduce but not eliminate required staff reductions. Committee members favored a middle option (labeled "Option 3a" in discussion) that

Business‑office officials and the superintendent presented the district’s preliminary FY26 budget, $104 million in operating requests and a projected gap driven largely by contractual salary increases and transportation and special‑education costs.

Keith Taverna of the business office summarized major drivers: negotiated salary increases for multiple bargaining units, a 15.2% increase in special‑education tuition and transportation in some lines, and higher utility and facility rental costs tied to the new West elementary building. Taverna said the district’s current budget assumptions include a town allocation increase of 3.75% from the town manager; the administration asked the School Committee to formally accept that assumption at the next meeting as the basis for building the FY26 budget.

The administration presented five balancing options that mix non‑salary reductions, fee increases and varying reliance on staff attrition to hit the…

School Committee narrows FY26 balancing plan; favors modest fee increases, aims to reduce FTE cuts

Summary

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