Auburn School Committee reviews FY27 budget calendar; reports net enrollment increase of 34 students

The Auburn School Committee received the school department's fiscal year 2027 budget calendar and an October 1 enrollment update during its Oct. 1 meeting.

Superintendent Sue Doris told the committee the budget-development module is live and administrators will work on budget requests through December, with a proposed budget targeted for February. The committee will see a presentation Nov. 19 and a preliminary budget discussion with the City Council in January. Doris noted that March will include weekly meetings reviewing budget sections, public hearings in April, an added meeting April 29 to make any last adjustments, and a budget-validation referendum scheduled for June 9.

Doris also presented the district's October 1, 2025 enrollment totals and comparisons with Oct. 1, 2024. She said overall enrollment is up by 34 students, from 3,270 last year to 3,304 this year. The elementary level declined by 59 students, with the largest drop in the kindergarten-to-first-grade cohort (down 17). Middle school enrollment increased by nine students overall, including gains of 14 students entering grade 7 and 17 entering grade 8; Doris said some of the incoming middle-school students came from St. Dom's. High school enrollment rose by 43 students, from 1,070 to 1,113, with the largest increases in grade 9 (up 21) and grade 12 (up 15).

Committee members asked whether district or city data could clarify why elementary numbers are down. Doris said homeschooling counts are one metric the department tracks. Scott Denier, assistant superintendent, said housing studies show a broader demographic trend of smaller family sizes and fewer elementary-age families in parts of the city, which aligns with the enrollment shifts the district is seeing.

Why this matters: The budget calendar sets the district's timetable for resource requests, public hearings and the referendum that will allow voters to validate the budget; the enrollment totals inform staffing, class sizes and budget projections.

Votes at a glance

Motion to enter executive session pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6)(A) for evaluation of officials, employees or appointees: Motion moved and seconded; second named as Quinn Quirley. Chair called the vote and the committee entered executive session. No formal roll-call tally of yes/no votes was recorded in the public transcript.

No budget or policy decisions were adopted at the Oct. 1 meeting; the committee was given the calendar and enrollment figures for future budget and staffing planning.