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Southbridge budget update lowers town request; district says classroom positions preserved
Summary
Interim receiver Mr. Metzger told the committee that adjustments to FY26 budget assumptions reduced the town contribution above Chapter 70 to about $1.7 million, and the proposal does not eliminate student-facing teaching or support positions.
Mr. Metzger presented an update on the Southbridge Public Schools proposed FY26 budget and said the district and town manager's office revised several line items after reconciling figures for charter tuition, school choice assessments and state special-education assessments.
He said the committee's earlier presentation used FY25 actuals for some categories, but the parties agreed to use the figures from the governor's House 1 proposal for FY26. The change, plus agreement about Schedule 19 municipal costs, reduced the amount the district will request from the town above the Chapter 70 state aid formula to about $1,700,000.
"The adjustment will not impact teaching and learning in any way," Mr. Metzger said. He told the committee the plan does not call for elimination of any student-facing or administrative positions, although some positions were reduced "by choice" and targeted reductions were made in out-of-district tuition and contracted services lines.
Mr. Metzger said the district expects to rely on special-education "circuit breaker" funds and extraordinary relief to cover potential increases in out-of-district tuition costs.
Committee members did not take a formal vote on the budget at the meeting; Mr. Metzger provided copies of a presentation and said the materials will be posted on the Southbridge Public Schools website for public review.
