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Stoughton School Committee previews $73.1 million FY27 budget, flags $3.47M shortfall driven by special‑education growth
Summary
At a Dec. 9 special virtual meeting, administrators presented a $73,077,362 FY2027 recommended budget and warned of a $3,467,142 gap under the town'9s 3.5% guidance, attributing the shortfall mainly to rising special-education enrollment, transportation costs and contract negotiations.
STOUGHTON, Mass. — The Stoughton School Committee on Dec. 9 reviewed a proposed FY2027 operating budget that would raise district spending to $73,077,362 and said the plan currently leaves an estimated $3,467,142 shortfall versus the town's 3.5% guidance.
Superintendent Dr. Bayada told the committee the budget is being driven by special-education mandates, an increase in students requiring individualized education programs and rising transportation costs. "We had 209 new registrants to Stoughton as of November, of which 51, or 24%, were on an IEP and we're providing direct services to," Dr. Bayada said, underscoring the district'9s recent enrollment shift.
Why it matters: Officials said those special-education needs require additional staff and specialized classrooms and that, although in-district programs are costly, they can be less expensive than sending students out of district for therapeutic or residential placements. Administrators noted the banding together of multiple cost drivers — from…
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