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Worcester schools present $557.4 million FY27 budget, warn of rising costs and future shortfalls
Summary
CFO Consalvo presented a $557.4 million FY27 recommended general fund budget that preserves average class size and special education caseloads but flags falling federal funds, rising health and utility costs, and a looming $8 million shortfall next year without new revenue.
CFO Consalvo told the Worcester School Committee that the district’s recommended FY27 general fund operating budget is $557.4 million, reflecting a 6.3% Chapter 70 state aid increase and a 7.6% increase in the city contribution over last year. Consalvo said total enrollment declined by 101 students and the budget applies a 2.76% inflation factor as the Student Opportunity Act enters its final phase-in year.
The recommended budget aims to maintain average class size at about 21 students for non‑specialized K–12 classes, preserve special education caseloads, expand library services to seven elementary schools, and add funding for multilingual science, elementary math and history curricula. Consalvo said the budget also funds anticipated contractual salary increases, keeps secondary school culture and climate teams intact, and increases facilities-management spending to address high‑priority building maintenance and preventive repairs. She said funding will continue for school‑safety audit recommendations.
Consalvo warned that the budget must navigate several financial pressures: federal entitlement grants that fund student programs are flat or reduced, health insurance premiums are up about 8%, natural‑gas heating costs have risen roughly 28%, electricity supply and delivery are up about 3%, and non‑salary operational costs are increasing faster than general inflation. "Moving forward, our primary funding drivers will be enrollment and inflation," she said, adding that both are projected to remain fairly stagnant.
The presentation flagged multi‑year risk: a speaker during public comment later cited district projections that next year could present an $8 million “run wall” and a $20 million shortfall two years out unless the district secures additional revenue or reduces costs. The committee did not take any formal vote at the hearing; the presentation was followed by a public‑comment period and the committee scheduled further budget meetings at City Hall.
What happens next: the committee will continue budget review in upcoming public sessions and may consider advocacy to the state or requests for increased municipal contribution to address forecasted deficits.
