Stoughton superintendent recommends 3.8% FY26 budget; committee warned of possible staff reductions if state aid falls short

Stoughton — At a Dec. 19 special meeting, Superintendent Dr. Baieda presented the school department's recommended fiscal 2026 budget: a 3.8% overall increase packaged in a new school-based template designed to show spending and FTEs by building, and to improve transparency for parents and residents.

"We have put together a school committee budget that will go forward as a recommendation of a 3.8% increase," Dr. Baieda said, describing a cover page and line-by-line approach that allows users to see enrollment, staffing and spending per school. He said the format is intended to let principals manage site-level decisions and to make longer-term staffing and program choices easier to trace.

The superintendent and working-group members told the committee the recommendation reflects a trade-off. The line-level budget as drafted would reflect a 5.5% increase, but administration…