Scarborough residents, staff press board over proposed FY27 cuts as district maps $2.3M in education reductions

Scarborough school officials on Tuesday outlined a series of possible reductions to the FY27 education budget after the town finance committee asked the district to reach a lower tax-rate target. District staff said the town’s 2% tax-rate goal requires roughly $3.6 million in overall reductions, about $2.3 million of which would need to come from the school budget.

At the public hearing, Kate (district staff) walked through a tiered approach to cuts that starts with non-personnel line-item trims and benefit-savings and moves through position reallocations and program slowdowns to more severe options such as reduced co-curricular offerings. “They have identified a target tax rate increase of 2%,” she said, adding that “to accomplish that… they need an overall reduction of about 3.6 million dollars.”

Why it matters: Board members and the leadership team framed the exercise as an attempt to show the town council the consequences of different dollar targets so voters and officials can choose priorities. Several speakers said the consequences would be immediate for students and staff if deeper cuts are adopted.

Teachers, special-education staff and parents pressed the board to preserve services. Ashley Fassulo, a special-education teacher, warned that reductions to staffing would mean “fewer staff available to support students with complex needs” and that supports “are not optional” for many students. Jim Marshall, a resident, told the board that “the proposed budget cuts will negatively impact the education of our children.”

District leaders emphasized they tried to protect jobs where possible and described specific steps already considered: reallocating some positions into federal grants when available, postponing the hire of an open custodian, and moving some costs back into Title I or Title II grant lines where feasible. Staff also reported benefit-cost improvements (an Anthem premium coming in lower than first estimated) that create modest savings.

What’s at stake: The leadership team said level-three cuts — which would reduce student programs and trigger involuntary staff transfers — would begin to affect classroom supports, academic coaching, and class sizes in some buildings. Level four and five options include delaying or limiting curriculum implementation, eliminating some summer literacy programs, and cutting after-school clubs or athletics.

Next steps: The board scheduled a special meeting for the second reading and vote on the budget for Tuesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. Officials said the town council will make the final tax-rate decision and that community forums and town finance meetings are planned in the coming weeks for additional feedback.

Quotes that matter: “We need an overall reduction of about 3.6 million dollars,” Kate said in the staff presentation. Teacher Ashley Fassulo summarized classroom concerns: “Special education is not a place where we can do more with less.”

The public hearing closed after several hours of testimony. The board will reconvene for the budget second reading on May 19; the municipal council and a later referendum will determine the adopted tax and school appropriation.