Brookline Public Schools to cut about 42 FTEs for FY27 as town budgets tighten

Brookline Public Schools will present a FY27 budget that includes a net reduction of 22 full-time-equivalent positions for the coming year and, combined with cuts since the last override, amounts to about 42 FTEs lost districtwide, Superintendent Bella Wong said on a March 5 studio panel.

"For the budget for FY27 that we're proposing, 12.5% are non-salary expenses. The rest of it is the staff," Wong said, describing staffing and benefits as the primary drivers of the school budget. She explained that the district has tried to spread reductions across the district office, K and the high school to mitigate concentrated impacts.

Wong said some additions remain necessary to meet mandated services even as other positions are cut. She described the district's prior override as having provided nearly $4 million per year previously to cover increases, and said the district's projected out-year capacity to cover increases is substantially reduced.

Why it matters: Personnel reductions at this scale affect classroom ratios, administrative support and specialized programs. Wong emphasized that reductions are not limited to classroom teachers and that some cuts have already come in administration and centralized functions.

Budget context and shared costs: Wong and Chaz Carey noted the schools and town share certain costs, including health-care benefits that the town pays upfront and then splits (Carey said a 60% schools / 40% town split). Wong said the growing cost of benefits is one reason the district must reduce staff if additional local revenue is not approved.

Next steps: The Select Board and school committee will continue public budget hearings; the Expenditures and Revenues Study Committee will issue findings in mid-March and may influence whether a town-wide operating override is proposed to voters on May 5.