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Winchester superintendent outlines $3.4M FY27 override ask amid rising transportation and special-education costs
Summary
Dr. Hackett presented an FY27 adjusted level-services plan and an override ask of roughly $3.4M to cover $1.27M in structural shortfalls (transportation, special-education transportation, long-term substitutes/ESPs) and to fund literacy, math pilot staffing and high-school course expansions.
Superintendent Dr. Hackett told the committee the district anticipates roughly $1.27 million in unbudgeted or structural costs that should be folded into FY27 planning, including higher special-education and out-of-district transportation costs, expanded summer transportation for extended school-year programs, and long-term substitute staffing costs.
As part of a proposed override discussion, the district’s prioritized ask for FY27 is a little under $3.4 million; FY28 and FY29 asks would be approximately $730,000 and $354,000 respectively, with FY30 removed from the current schedule. Dr. Hackett said priorities are ordered and can be reconfigured to align with the Select Board’s chosen funding horizon if necessary.
Planned investments discussed for the override include a one-time literacy-assessment and MTSS software purchase (MPlus referenced), 3.5 elementary math specialist FTEs (one per building plus district support), six 6–8 instructional specialists for tiered literacy and math supports, high-school core-course and elective expansions to reduce scheduling conflicts, K–12 world-language expansions, and a combined K–12 health/PE director/teacher position to meet adaptive-PE special-education requirements.
Committee members asked for clearer breakout of long-term substitute costs versus permanent FTEs and requested additional detail on pilot definitions and staffing displays; Dr. Hackett agreed to split line items more explicitly. He also noted reserves have been drawn down in recent years and that the district may need to either fund the gap through an override, fee changes, or make program reductions.
No formal override vote was taken; the committee scheduled further opportunities to refine the recommended budget before the January public hearing and the January 29 budget vote.
