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North Providence district says FY27 budget is structurally underfunded as it seeks roughly $1.3 million local increase
Summary
District officials presented a proposed FY27 operating budget that requests a 3.94% local increase and projects a $68.3 million operating budget, warning state aid declines and expiring grants leave the schools structurally underfunded and may force further cuts or town funding increases.
The North Providence School Committee heard a presentation on the district's proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget, which requests a local appropriation of $34,562,355 compared with the current local appropriation of $33,250,260, a figure the presenter characterized as a 3.94% increase.
"The school budget is structurally underfunded and does not reflect actual operating costs," said Lisa Casinelli, who introduced the budget and walked the committee through revenue and expense drivers. Casinelli said the district projects a total operating budget of about $68,293,000 and expects state aid changes, an increase in Medicaid reimbursement to $600,000 and miscellaneous tuition revenue rising to $726,000.
Casinelli outlined major cost pressures: contractual teacher salary steps and a negotiated increase she put at about $755,000; noncertified staff contract increases of roughly $283,000; a projected health care increase of $111,000; a pension increase of $243,000; payroll tax impacts of about $218,000; a transportation increase of $454,000; and growth in out-of-district placement tuition costs the district does not set.
To comply with the state's 4% cap on the local request, Casinelli said the administration already trimmed line items, including $252,000 from maintenance, $52,000 from supplies, about $17,000 from technology hardware, $100,000 from special education services, $100,000 from charter tuition, and eliminating two certified staff positions (estimated savings of $276,000).
Casinelli flagged uncertainty about federal grants and warned that cuts to federal titles could affect staffing decisions. She noted state law deadlines for nonrenewal notifications: March 1 for performance and June 1 for fiscal exigency, which limit the district's ability to make staffing changes if funding shortfalls arrive during the summer.
Committee members asked for more detail at a budget workshop the chair proposed scheduling for Feb. 4 at 5:45 p.m. Member Mr. Gugan urged staff to prepare materials focused on high-cost special education, transportation and multilingual learner (MLL) funding so the district can advocate to the General Assembly for needs-based adjustments rather than enrollment-based formulas.
The school committee will hold a workshop to examine the figures in detail and is scheduled to approve a budget to send to the town at the February committee meeting to meet charter deadlines.
