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Brookline schools outline $5.3M FY27 budget gap and a list of possible cuts if an override fails
Summary
Superintendent Wong and budget staff presented an updated FY27 projection with a remaining gap of roughly $5.27 million after additional reductions. Administrators outlined non‑override (failed‑override) cuts that would affect world language and conservatory programs, grade‑1 aides, high‑school support roles and other FTEs across the district.
Superintendent Wong and budget staff updated the School Committee on Feb. 26 on the proposed FY27 budget and non‑override reductions.
The administration said recent line‑item adjustments and planned grant shifts cut about $1.1 million from previously reported increases; after factoring in the town allocation, the FY27 funding gap was reported at about $5.27 million. Staff described savings from consolidating transportation routes, right‑sizing budget lines that historically underspent, reducing some PD and curriculum development spending, and using additional retirements to reduce salary obligations.
Budget staff then presented a worst‑case 'failed override' plan that would identify additional non‑override reductions. Those proposals include reductions or eliminations of middle‑school conservatory music and middle‑school world‑language offerings, halving grade‑1 aide coverage (so two grade‑1 classes would share an aide), reductions to “plus‑one” high‑school support assignments (tutorial, math center, writing lab), elimination of some low‑enrollment electives, and administrative restructurings at the district level. Administrators warned that such cuts would raise class sizes, reduce teacher prep/collaboration time, impact extracurricular supervision and student supports, and could create safety and programmatic risks.
Committee members pressed for modeling that shows multi‑year impacts; the administration said staff will run out‑year scenarios and share them with committee members. The committee later voted to appoint district negotiators and moved into executive session to discuss bargaining strategy.
