Bolton School Board adopts 2026–27 budget with personnel reductions; net increase about 2.5%

Superintendent Caruso presented the Bolton School District’s proposed FY2026–27 BEA budget of $17,668,433 and explained how savings and post‑referendum cuts brought the district’s proposed increase to about 2.50% before the board approved the measure.

Caruso told the board the budget started as a 5.17% proposed increase but was trimmed after a series of adjustments: $139,486 in health‑insurance savings realized March 6, projected life‑event costs that reduced that savings by $54,767, and a Finance Committee reduction of $325,853 after the first referendum failed. An additional $60,000 reduction followed a second referendum failure. Combined personnel and other adjustments produced total final adjustments of $519,031, Caruso said.

Most savings came from personnel changes, Caruso said. The district eliminated a 1.0 FTE Bolton Center School computer teacher position, removed an administrative assistant position that had previously been proposed at 0.5 FTE, cut a paraprofessional, restructured teacher‑leader roles (saving about $60,000) and reduced some stipends. Caruso said transportation costs came in under budget by about $49,561 and that personnel salary and benefits savings totaled roughly $469,470.

A board member asked whether removing the computer teacher would change programming. Caruso said the district plans to cover the computer classes internally and has already discussed transition plans with the teacher who will take on the additional classes, though she acknowledged the change “may limit the number of classes she’s able to do in combination with her current role.” Principal Girard, whom Caruso said she had consulted, expressed confidence the building can absorb the change but said the administration will monitor the situation and revisit staffing in next year’s budget if needed.

A motion to adopt “the superintendent’s 2026‑2027 budget recommendations” was moved and seconded; the chair called for the vote and members voted in the affirmative. The motion carried.

The superintendent framed the budget as the product of months of work and emphasized efforts to be “creative” in staffing to protect classroom programs while meeting fiscal constraints. She thanked teachers, administrators and the BEA for participating in restructurings that preserved teacher voice while yielding savings.

The board did not record a roll‑call tally of named votes in the transcript; minutes should be consulted for an official vote record and any subsequent administrative follow‑ups.