Woburn schools present FY26 budget showing 7.65% increase; leaders seek reductions before city review

Woburn School District leaders told the School Committee on April 8 that the FY26 operating budget request presented to the city represents a 7.65% increase—about $6.9 million—over FY25. Dr. Mary Crowley said the district’s baseline “roll-forward” cost for existing staff is 5.6%; adding staff requested this year raises that to about 6.4%, and contractual obligations (transportation, tuitions and similar items) bring the total to roughly 7.6%.

Dr. Crowley said city officials asked the district to look for additional reductions and set a target of trimming the increase to roughly $5.9 million. She said school leaders and finance staff have reviewed line items and will continue to pursue savings, while trying to avoid reductions in personnel or services that would directly affect students.

Special-education transportation was cited as a major cost driver. During the meeting district staff noted a roughly $900,000 contractual increase in transportation specifically tied to special-education routes, which the administration said is largely unavoidable in the near term. Administrators also said that, where possible, investment in in-district programs has reduced out-of-district tuition costs.

Committee members stressed the need to balance fiscal restraint with the district’s responsibility to maintain staffing and services. Several committee members urged community members to be prepared to explain budget priorities when the request is reviewed at City Hall. The administration said it will return with a more detailed presentation and that a special school-committee meeting focused on the budget has been scheduled for April 16 at 7 p.m.; that meeting will include executive-session items related to personnel. The superintendent also said the district continues to prepare materials supporting eventual MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) applications for long-term facility work.

No formal budget vote was taken at the April 8 meeting; administrators said they would present updated figures at the April 16 session and continue to consult with the mayor and council staff.