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South Kingstown school leaders present FY26 budget framing as enrollment falls; public raises graduation and staffing concerns
Summary
School leadership presented preliminary FY26 budget principles amid a roughly 25% enrollment decline in five years, rising out‑of‑district tuition costs (~$4.5M), and staff reductions that have lagged enrollment drops; public commenters pressed for attention to graduation disparities and reading supports.
The joint session turned from construction to the school department’s preliminary budget framing for FY26 as the newly appointed superintendent and the school CFO outlined enrollment, staffing and spending trends.
The superintendent (identified in the transcript as Mr. Pajaraza) opened the school budget segment by saying the district will prioritize stability, stewardship and responsiveness as it prepares a FY26 recommendation. He said the administration intends to be “data informed” and to collaborate with the council and community while balancing student needs and taxpayer stewardship.
Chief Financial Officer Ryan Kilpatrick presented five‑year enrollment figures showing about a 25% decline and cited NESDEC projections that the district will see further decreases through 2031; he also told the boards that out‑of‑district enrollments (charter, CTE and state schools) have risen and the district’s invoice costs for those placements total roughly $4.5 million in the current projection. Kilpatrick noted that while those out‑of‑district students are included in resident ADM for state aid calculations, the state share per outplaced student does not fully cover tuition costs.
On staffing Kilpatrick reported total staffing down roughly 15% since 2019–20 but noted staffing does not move linearly with enrollment because service requirements, grade‑cohort distributions and contractual constraints affect when positions can be reduced. He also walked through revenue drivers (property tax transfer, state aid, expiring ESSER funding) and non‑core cost pressures such as transportation and high‑cost special education.
Public commenters urged stronger attention to student outcomes. Janine Silversmith of the town sustainability committee supported PV readiness and CTE educational opportunities tied to the geothermal test well. Other public speakers raised concerns about graduation disparities, citing lower rates for Black students, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. A public commenter argued the district has too many staff relative to enrollment and urged fiscal discipline; school committee members and other speakers countered that the district needs targeted student‑services staff and credit‑recovery options (including summer and community‑partner programs) to improve outcomes.
Kilpatrick and the superintendent pledged to provide additional data and follow up — including the NESDEC report, further detail on IEP and outplacement trends, class‑size and section counts, and plans for credit recovery and targeted interventions — as the district finalizes its recommended budget package in February.
Next steps: the superintendent will submit a recommended FY26 budget to the school committee in mid‑February; the school committee and town council will continue joint hearings and budget work sessions into March and April.
