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Teachers urge action as Middleborough faces budget cuts; committee delays vote
Summary
Teachers and parents pressed the school committee to protect jobs and prioritize classroom positions as the district waits for a town-cut figure; the superintendent said a final number is expected next week and no budget vote will occur tonight.
Teachers, parents and committee members pressed the Middleborough School Committee on staffing and spending as the district awaits final town numbers that will determine how deep forthcoming cuts will be.
"First off, thank you for making it known that you're not voting on the budget," said Alexis Burrow, a first-grade teacher, during public comment, adding that she and other district employees plan to testify before the state Ways and Means Committee to seek additional funding.
Several speakers described high anxiety among staff about potential layoffs and asked the committee for transparent, line-by-line budget review. One teacher, identified in the record as Tony, highlighted what he called a disproportionate increase in some administrative salaries, noting the budget lists the director of special education at $130,000 in one year and $145,000 in approved fiscal year 2026 — roughly an 8% increase — while reported teacher contract increases have been around 3%.
The superintendent said the district is still waiting on the town's final number and "we do expect a further cut. We don't know what that is. Hopefully I'll have that number next week," and confirmed that there will be no budget vote at this meeting.
Committee members and parents discussed the timeline and process: if the town provides the final figure before the committee's April meeting, the district could proceed with a vote on April 9; otherwise the committee said the motion for town meeting would be what is ultimately approved and that town meeting itself could amend allocations.
Several speakers urged the district to search aggressively for grant funding, protect student-facing positions where possible, and involve staff in budgeting decisions. A parent and candidate for the school committee, Alex Cook, said he planned to raise Middleborough's funding needs with the state Ways and Means Committee.
The meeting concluded with the superintendent and finance subcommittee reassuring the public that leadership is already reviewing budget lines and that union procedures would govern any personnel reductions.
The committee did not take a budget vote; members said they expect to receive final town numbers next week and will revisit the matter at the next appropriate meeting.
