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 negotiated union increases to vendor transportation rates — has widened the budget gap.

Key figures and proposals
- Current FY26 budget: $67,256,251.
- Recommended FY27 budget: $73,077,362 (8.66% increase).
- Town guidance used for planning: 3.5%, producing an estimated shortfall of $3,467,142.
- Administration proposes about 20 new special-education FTEs and several specialized positions (speech-language assistants, registered behavior technicians, a secondary reading specialist, expanded TLC programs) while adding no new general-education positions.

Administrators and finance staff emphasized that some offsets are already included in the plan. Heidi Perkins and other staff explained the district is using carryover and current-year IDEA and Title I grant funds and projecting circuit-breaker reimbursement, but cautioned those state reimbursements are variable.

"Circuit breaker is not a guaranteed percentage," Heidi Perkins said, describing the state process whereby districts file claims and the pot of money is allocated as a percentage to each claim. Staff said the district conservatively projects roughly $3 million of circuit-breaker revenue but that the final percentage is not known until months after the fiscal year ends.

Transportation and contracting pressures
Committee members pressed administrators on transportation costs, particularly for special-education runs. The administration said daily vendor-run costs can exceed $300 per student and that limited competition in bus bidding contributes to higher prices. Dr. Bayada suggested one long-term mitigation could be purchasing district minibuses (quoted during discussion at roughly $100,000–$110,000 each) and operating some routes locally.

Budget process and next steps
Officials said state House 1 and Chapter 70 (state education aid) announcements in mid-January will be important for closing the gap. Staff also flagged a 2017 joint-cost agreement with the town that needs updating and noted the administration will provide additional line-item detail, a staffing memo, and a workbook for committee review. The district plans a public hearing on the budget at the district office next Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Motions and votes
The committee took the routine procedural votes recorded in the meeting: members moved to enter executive session earlier in the meeting (Jen Sears moved; Armando Garboza seconded) and later approved an adjournment motion (mover identified in the record as Julian; second Jen Sears). The adjournment carried by roll call 5–0; the meeting concluded at about 8:41 p.m.

What remains unresolved
Administrators said principal outstanding uncertainties are the final Chapter 70 allocation and the circuit-breaker reimbursement percentage. Staff warned that reliance on one-time federal and shelter funds in prior years has left fewer internal options and that using carryover or stabilization funds is a policy choice for the town. The committee will reconvene after state aid is announced and will hold the scheduled public hearing next week.