Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Woburn presents FY27 draft budget: $100.4 million proposal includes 12 new FTEs, officials say
Summary
District leaders presented a draft FY27 operating budget of $100.4 million — a 4.72% increase — citing rising contractual transportation and out‑of‑district special‑education costs, anticipated utility rate increases, and 12 requested new FTEs (including building substitutes, a high‑school wellness teacher, an assistant principal and an assistant facilities director).
Woburn School Committee members reviewed a draft FY27 operating budget of $100.4 million at their March 10 meeting, a proposal administrators described as a working document that will be refined before submission to the city.
Finance director Alex Dizzio said the draft represents an increase of about $4.5 million (roughly 4.72%) over FY26 and reflects step‑and‑lane salary increases (cost‑of‑living adjustments were not yet included), increasing contractual obligations for transportation and out‑of‑district special‑education tuition, and anticipated utility rate hikes. "As of today the FY27 proposed budget ... stands at 100.4 million," Dizzio told the committee.
What’s in the ask: The draft includes 12 new full‑time equivalent positions targeted to service needs and the district strategic plan. Items listed include seven 0.5 FTE building substitutes (one at each elementary and one at the high school), three full‑time teachers (a RISE teacher, a fourth‑grade section tied to enrollment, and a high‑school wellness teacher), an assistant principal for the Shamrock school, an assistant director for facilities to build redundancy in key operations, a reading specialist, a nurse for the Kennedy school (where administrators noted a roughly 500:1 student to nurse situation at that building), and a speech‑language pathologist tied to mandated special‑education services.
Committee concerns and context: Members probed substitute funding (whether building subs will be cost‑neutral versus current substitute spending), enrollment forecasts, and how many students currently take advanced courses (Dizzio and Hovind estimated Calculus BC enrollments at about 16–18). Dr. Ryan flagged the Kennedy school's combination of high enrollment and student acuity — roughly 40 students with Type‑1 diabetes, asthma, epipen or seizure needs — as a driver of the nurse request.
Budget process: Presenters emphasized the draft is a first pass: negotiations with bargaining units, final COLA estimates, and updated transportation/utility contracts will change final numbers. Administrators said they use a collaborative process that begins with building leaders in the fall and iteratively refines requests so priorities align to the strategic plan.
Next steps: The committee and subcommittees will continue review; the district expects to finalize a submission for the city council and mayoral review in the spring, with city council approval typically occurring in early June.
Sources: Remarks and slides presented by Alex Dizzio and district leadership to the Woburn School Committee, March 10, 2026.
