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Teachers, parents urge Medfield to back an override to avoid cuts and fund literacy rollout
Summary
At the FY27 budget hearing, numerous teachers and parents urged the town to support an override or other revenue measures to prevent staff reductions and to fund a K–5 literacy program (year‑one cost cited at $221,000). Speakers said community outreach will be necessary if an override is pursued.
During the public‑comment portion of the FY27 budget hearing, teachers, parents and residents urged the committee and the town to pursue additional revenue to avoid staffing cuts and to support a planned K–5 literacy initiative.
Erin Watson, president of the Medfield Teachers Union and a 30‑year third‑grade teacher, told the committee: "If there's a rainy‑day fund, now is the time to use it because it's pouring." Watson and other teacher speakers asked the warrant committee and school leaders to consider an override large enough to retain positions and implement the literacy program.
Multiple teachers described pilots and professional development already invested in the literacy rollout and said year‑one costs are approximately $221,000. They said failing to adopt the program would undercut two years of pilot work and that cuts in staffing would increase class sizes and reduce elective offerings, particularly at the middle and high school levels.
Parents who spoke described choosing Medfield for the schools and urged broader outreach to residents who do not have school‑age children. Several asked how much homeowner taxes would rise under a 3.9 percent increase and suggested that a clear public information campaign would be necessary if the town proceeds with an override question on the ballot.
Why it matters: teachers warned that reductions would harm student supports and programming; parents emphasized the need to build townwide support ahead of any override. Several speakers asked the administration to publish detailed revolving‑fund accounting and class‑size projections under each budget scenario so voters can judge tradeoffs.
What's next: committee members and staff said they will provide data and continue discussions with the warrant committee about potential override amounts and timing; no override decision or ballot question was finalized at the hearing.
