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School committee debates FY26 budget changes, seeks alternatives to staffing cuts
Summary
Committee members and administration discussed nearly $953,000 in cost increases for FY26 and explored offsets including extra town appropriation, higher investment revenue and retiree breakage to avoid cutting staff positions.
The North Kingstown School Committee reviewed a preliminary FY26 budget shortfall of about $953,000 at its May 20 meeting and debated ways to close the gap without reducing staff.
Superintendent Dr. Duva and finance staff presented increases that include higher transportation costs, health and dental premium increases, an unexpected rise in solar-credit transfers to the town, and vendor and tuition increases. "That totals $953,490 that we had to make up for," Duva said.
Administration proposed revenue offsets and operational reductions totaling roughly $289,600, plus an additional town appropriation to cover health and dental increases. Committee members also identified potential nonrecurring options: using fund balance for one-time items such as tree removal and considering enterprise-account transfers for certain expenses. Several members urged exhausting nonstaff cuts and one-time funds before removing positions.
Discussion focused on whether to reduce curriculum and wellness spending or eliminate one of three staff positions under consideration: an elementary FTE, an equity/belonging coordinator and a middle-school math interventionist. Members repeatedly said they preferred avoiding personnel cuts and asked administration to return with an updated budget that increases projected investment revenue (based on current year performance) and a conservative calculation of anticipated retiree breakage to close the remaining gap.
No formal staffing reductions were approved May 20. The administration agreed to recalculate the FY26 budget with the suggested revenue adjustments and nonrecurring expenditures and to present a revised, balanced proposal at the committee’s next meeting.
