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School committee declines proposed school choice slots for FY27 after budget and staffing concerns
Summary
Superintendent Morgan proposed limited high‑school school choice (10 seats in grades 9, 10 and 11) to boost enrollment; after debate over fiscal impacts and fractional staffing needs, the motion failed on roll call and the district will not accept school choice for FY27.
Superintendent Bridal Morgan proposed offering limited school choice at the high school (10 seats each in grades 9, 10 and 11) to offset declining enrollment and support extracurricular programs. Morgan and members discussed that the $5,000 per‑pupil school choice payment for K–8 has not kept pace with staffing costs and that elementary or middle school openings could require hiring full‑time teachers, which could produce net budget shortfalls if seats do not fill.
Keenan Francois moved to accept school choice for grades 9–11 at 10 slots per grade. Members debated the fiscal impacts and the difficulty of hiring fractional FTEs to split high‑school sections; some argued the high school could use fractional staffing to balance schedules, while others urged more analysis and student‑retention efforts. The motion was put to a roll‑call vote and failed (4 against, 3 in favor), and the committee voted to proceed with no school choice for FY27.
