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Smithfield superintendent warns town budget could force about $1.1 million in school cuts, roughly 15 teachers
Summary
Interim Superintendent told the Smithfield School Committee that a town manager budget proposal with a 0.86% operating increase could force roughly $1.1 million in cuts to the school budget — about 15 teaching positions — and urged community engagement at upcoming hearings beginning March 31.
Interim Superintendent told the Smithfield School Committee on March 19 that the district’s 4% local appropriation request and $1.3 million in capital asks face a town manager proposal that would provide only a 0.86% operating increase and reduced capital support, a gap that could require roughly $1.1 million in cuts.
The superintendent said those cuts would translate to “somewhere around 15 teachers,” and warned the reductions could also delay critical facility projects. The district’s budget review will continue with a town manager presentation on March 31 and weekly April hearings when departments will be invited to present, the superintendent said.
The comments came during a detailed budget update in which staff reviewed an 11‑year view of local appropriations and state aid, explained composition differences when transportation aid is treated separately, and outlined next steps to provide the budget review board with updated enrollment and fund-balance figures. “If [the town proposal] is what is passed by the town council, we would need to cut an additional $1.1 million from our budget,” the superintendent said, adding the cuts would be “a huge problem.”
The superintendent also noted the town manager is proposing a tax levy increase of about 3.45% to fund the town’s full ask; that figure is separate from the school department’s appropriation request and would be decided in the council’s process. The committee was told the budget review board will hold an open meeting on March 31 and the town council will schedule a subsequent public hearing in May.
School staff said they will prepare enrollment inflow/outflow data and a June 30 fund-balance reconciliation in response to questions raised by the budget review board. The superintendent urged residents and stakeholders to attend the March 31 meeting and the April hearings to voice support for the school department’s request.
Next steps: the town manager’s presentation is scheduled for March 31; the school department will present follow-up materials at the April hearings and the town council will hold a public hearing in May. The committee did not take a formal vote on the budget at the March 19 meeting.
