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Pembroke superintendent outlines FY27 maintenance-of-effort budget, flags $823,679 gap
Summary
Superintendent presented a preliminary FY27 maintenance-of-effort budget, projecting baseline costs of $41,280,729 (an $823,679 increase from FY26) and flagged key assumptions: pending teacher contract negotiations, a projected $212,000 rise in special-education tuition, transportation contract options, and circuit-breaker timing and amounts.
The Pembroke School Committee heard an initial preview of the district's fiscal-year 2027 maintenance-of-effort budget at its Dec. 2 meeting, where the superintendent described the presentation as an early, assumption-driven look at next year's spending.
"Our fiscal year 26 budget is $40,457,050," the superintendent said, adding that maintaining current services at next year's prices would amount to $41,280,729, a difference of $823,679. He told committee members the figure includes placeholder assumptions for successor collective-bargaining agreements that are still under negotiation.
The superintendent said the district is projecting about a $212,000 increase in special-education tuition, based on a 3.04% rate published by the Operational Services Division; he noted that rate is not final until the first Wednesday in February. On transportation, the district continues to evaluate an option to rebid services: First Student has historically been the primary bidder, but the district may go to bid in the spring depending on the numbers.
He also described how the district plans to use circuit-breaker reimbursements: "So next year for fiscal year of '27, we will use the funds that we brought in this year," he said, estimating a little over $2,000,000 based on current reimbursement percentages (75% for instructional expenses, 61.36% for transportation).
Committee members asked for historical context on special-education tuition increases; the superintendent said tuition had usually hovered around 2%–4% but spiked about 14% two years ago. He said final numbers should be firmer after the subcommittee meeting with the select board and additional data expected in January and February, and that the administration will return with more concrete figures after ratifying bargaining packages.
The superintendent said the administration will post the FY27 materials to the district's FY27 budget tab and reiterated that the presentation is intended to provide transparency early in the process. The budget subcommittee plans a joint meeting with the select board in the coming weeks as the Chapter 70 analysis and joint presentations proceed.
