Superintendent outlines $1.5 million gap, reduction plan and risks to Grafton schools' services

Superintendent Dr. Jay Cummings told the Grafton School Committee that the district faces an estimated $1.5 million gap for fiscal year 2026 and presented a package of proposed reductions intended to close the deficit while protecting early‑grade class sizes where possible.

Cummings said the district built a "level service" budget to maintain current programs but that town funding and state aid left a roughly $1.5 million deficit. He described a multi‑week effort to produce a reduction plan and emphasized the scale of the financial challenge: "For us to reduce more than 2,500,000.0 over 2 years ... we will not there's no way be able to continue providing these results," he said, warning that larger, repeated reductions would be "catastrophic" for programs and staffing.

Why it matters: The reductions Cummings outlined would affect class sizes, elective programming, staffing in curriculum and support roles, and ancillary services. The committee and public will consider the proposal as town leaders, the finance committee and the public review options — including an override, one‑time uses of reserves or other revenue measures — before town meeting.

Budget context and drivers described by the superintendent: - Gap and timeline: The superintendent said the district and town are working on a budget…