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School committee approves FY2026 projection after quarterly update
Summary
The committee approved the district's FY2026 projection after a quarterly update showing a projected 15% increase in out-of-district special-education costs, modest salary increases tied to recent hires and a rise in substitute costs driven by 20 teacher maternities this year.
The Rockland School Committee voted to approve the district's fiscal-year 2026 projection after a quarterly presentation that highlighted stabilizing out-of-district costs and personnel-driven adjustments.
During the update, the presenter said the district now projects a roughly 15% increase in out-of-district placement costs compared with the prior year, a change driven in part by state-set placement rates. At the same time, the district reported being "significantly below" three-year averages on some measures, and described a net reallocation between salary and expense lines rather than a change to the overall budget total.
Personnel changes affected projections: the district hired a kindergarten teacher and a para at Eston Early Childhood Center and added staff for a new ASD program at Phelps Elementary (one teacher and two paras). The presenter also noted an unusually high number of teacher leaves this year: "As of this afternoon, we are up to 20 maternities," which has pushed substitute costs higher.
Maintenance and facilities also contributed: aging building systems at the middle and high schools produced unexpected maintenance expenses. The administration said it would present an updated projection again at the spring public hearing.
The committee moved to approve the 11/24 FY2026 projection; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote (tally not specified). No member requested to table the item.
