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Committee debates FY26 budget amid reliance on Student Opportunity Act funds
Summary
School leaders told the committee that the district's FY26 budget depends on full Student Opportunity Act (SOA/Chapter 70) funding to avoid deep cuts; even with projected SOA funds the district expects to cut 13 positions and warned of further reductions if all SOA funding is not available.
District officials told the school committee on Tuesday that the FY26 budget adopted in principle relies on anticipated Student Opportunity Act (SOA, Chapter 70) funds and that failing to use the full projected amount would force deeper staffing cuts.
The administration presented a revised bottom line that incorporated the full projected SOA allocation and put the FY26 request at $68,076,863. Committee members said the district has historically sought to fund schools above the state “foundation budget,” and officials noted that increases in the foundation budget have outpaced the SOA dollars the district has received. The administration reported that since FY22 the foundation budget requirement has increased by about $20.5 million while the additional SOA funding available to the district totals roughly $14 million.
Superintendent Dr. Baietta and committee members warned that if the district cannot use the full SOA allocation, the district would have to make deeper cuts beyond the 13 positions already expected under the current plan. Committee members asked staff to prepare comparative data showing other communities’ percentages over the foundation budget and the district’s historical percent-over-foundation numbers to inform discussions with town officials and Finance Committee.
Committee leaders encouraged public involvement ahead of Finance Committee and town meeting deliberations and reiterated that SOA funds are intended to address needs for high-need student populations, including English learners and students with disabilities. The district expects to present a more detailed spending plan and respond to state reporting and training requirements tied to SOA funds.
Ending: The committee and staff agreed to continue outreach to town leaders and to prepare historical budget comparisons and additional detail for upcoming Finance Committee and town meeting hearings.
