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Cohasset schools propose $27.0 million FY27 budget, seek data on past spending and building options
Summary
Superintendent Sarah Shannon presented a $27,021,099 FY27 operating budget — an 8.82% increase over FY26 — saying no funds have yet been spent on new-school options. Select and advisory members requested multi-year actuals and pressed on regionalization and building alternatives.
Sarah Shannon, superintendent of Cohasset Public Schools, presented a proposed FY27 operating budget of $27,021,099 to the Select Board, Advisory Committee and School Committee on Feb. 10, saying the figure represents an 8.82% increase over FY26 and is intended to maintain current class sizes and meet contractual obligations.
Shannon said the total is an estimate subject to ongoing contract negotiations and that "nothing has been spent this year" on new-school project options. Advisory Committee members and Select Board members pressed for more context: Diane Kennedy asked for budget-versus-actual statements for FY25 and FY26 and requested a community discussion; Select Member David Farrag asked for five years of actuals compared with budget.
Select Member Paul Grady and School Committee members asked whether regionalization had been considered. Grady asked whether the town had reached out to Hull about regionalization; School Committee Member Lance Dial said previous committees had discussed regionalization and that Hull would be the only possible partner but is not ideal because of logistics. Dial said he is strongly opposed to regionalization; School Committee Member Corey Evans said the question is ultimately a community decision.
Shannon also noted that MSBA (MSBCA was referenced in the meeting transcript) requires consideration of all building project options. When asked whether any FY27 budget dollars had already been spent on planning for new school options, Shannon said they had not.
The joint session adjourned after the presentation; the school committee and advisory committee each recorded unanimous aye votes to adjourn their portions of the meeting.
