Barre Unified Union School District presents FY26 budget: $2.6 million increase, mixed local tax impacts

Superintendent Joanne Canning presented an informational overview of the Barre Unified Union School District's proposed fiscal year 2026 general fund budget during the board's public meeting. The draft budget shows an increase of about $2,600,000, which Canning described as roughly a 4.95% rise over last year.

Canning said the district is prioritizing ‘‘quality of our staff over quantity’’ and will invest in professional development and a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) that includes expanded interventionist roles and other tiered supports. "We brought forth a budget that emphasizes quality of our staff over quantity," Canning said during the presentation.

The presentation listed reductions the administration recommended to stay within the proposed expense level: reductions in clerical support, several leadership stipends, one full-time equivalent (FTE) school counselor, two math-teacher FTEs, one distance-learning teacher position with that function to be transferred to another department, one general-education paraprofessional, reductions tied to projected enrollments (three FTE teachers in Barre City under class-size policy), and modest cuts to music supplies and some building utilities. A large facilities project planned for next year was proposed to be moved to the district's capital reserve fund.

Canning and business manager Lisa Peralt presented comparative figures showing FY25 general-fund spending near $53.0 million and a FY26 general-fund projection near $55.9 million; when certain grant funding is included the administration estimated a 4.65% increase. Peralt noted state averages from the tax commissioner's annual letter: the statewide average homestead property tax rate was estimated at $1.75 per $100 of assessed value while Barre's estimate is about $1.30. The administration also estimated a modest tax-rate impact to local property owners: "estimated tax rate and impact to folks in Barre City is almost a 2¢ reduction, and in Barre Town, it's about 4¢," Canning said.

The administration said it offered an early-notification retirement stipend that three staff members accepted; the superintendent said the district will attempt to manage staffing reductions through attrition where possible and would provide further detail as positions are finalized.

Canning said the budget supports the district strategic plan and MTSS work, and emphasized communication with families: the administration has held several public "coffee and conversation" meetings and posted explanatory materials including a video produced by a Vermont Public Radio contributor explaining the education spending formula and tax-rate calculations.

Board members asked clarifying questions about whether staff reductions were layoffs versus attrition; Canning said some reductions stemmed from attrition and early-notice stipends but that the situation remained developing. The board did not take formal action on the budget at the meeting; the presentation was described as informational and the administration said the budget materials will be in the next board packet and that staff can follow up individually by phone or email for more detail.

Ending: The administration invited members of the public to contact the superintendent, building principals or business office with specific questions and said the full budget packet will be available with the next board materials. The board did not adopt the budget at the meeting; this presentation was presented as public information and a step in the FY26 adoption process.