Nashoba Regional School Committee holds FY27 budget public hearing; administrators present 3.65% operating increase and NEXT steps

Nashoba Regional School District administrators presented the proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget and took questions from the school committee during a public hearing on March 4, 2026.

Assistant Superintendent Ross McCarron told the committee the operating budget increase in this iteration is 3.65% and said, "we believe that this iteration of the budget will be the one moving forward for school committee vote next week." He framed resource allocation around two principles — equality (per‑pupil and class‑size standards) and equity (services for students with IEPs, 504 plans, English learners and Title I needs).

The presentation included an explanation of how town assessments are calculated: a minimum local contribution set by the commonwealth (based on foundation enrollment), a variable assessment using a five‑year rolling average of October 1 enrollment, and a separate capital debt assessment tied to October 1 high‑school enrollment percentages under the district’s regional agreement. Administrators said no new debt is expected to affect FY27 assessments.

Committee members pressed administrators on specific line items. McCarron reported the district’s excess and deficiency (END) certification balance at $2,437,485 and said the recommended appropriation from END for FY27 is $1,174,625, which aligns with adjustments made after the previous year’s final budget. Committee member Scott questioned why the district had not reduced END use by the $200,000 previously discussed, saying, "this budget comes in with the using END at the exact same level as the current fiscal year." McCarron replied that the administration was following the previously voted appropriations and that any further reduction of END use would likely depend on increases in state Chapter 70 aid.

Administrators described two modest changes to the FY27 draft: an expense reduction of about $48,000 in the unemployment insurance budget line (reducing that line to roughly $75,000) and an increase in the Medicaid reimbursement estimate to $150,000 (up from a more conservative $125,000 in an earlier update), adjustments that slightly lower the variable assessments to the towns.

Committee member Amy Cohen asked about shifts in the capital debt assessments among the three towns; administrators confirmed the changes are driven by October 1 high‑school enrollment shares, per the regional agreement. McCarron reiterated next steps: the committee will review budget update #3 later in the evening, hold a statutory vote next week, and district leaders will present the budget at town meetings in Bolton, Lancaster and Stow.

The hearing was opened and closed by voice/roll‑call motions (both approved unanimously by the members present). The school committee adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

What’s next: the school committee is scheduled to vote on the FY27 budget next week; that formal vote and the subsequent town meeting presentations will determine final town assessments and any further adjustments to END use or revenue assumptions.