Leominster committee reviews FY27 budget; staff build in $370,000 Title cut and tie school dollars to improvement plans

Leominster — The Leominster School Committee on April 6 reviewed the district's proposed FY27 budget, which staff presented as a needs‑based request of $116,573,692 and described as shaped by enrollment, the Student Opportunity Act and anticipated federal Title funding reductions.

At the start of the budget presentation, Superintendent (name not specified in the record) told the committee the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education had signaled anticipated reductions in Title grants and district staff “adjusted our main budget to accommodate that change” by including a projected $370,000 decrease. Melanie Michaels, who led the budget briefing, said the district had been advised to assume an 85% “hold harmless” designation from the state and therefore planned for a roughly 15% reduction in Title funds as a conservative estimate; she also noted materials contained a different interim estimate (6%) and explained staff used $370,000 in planning to…