Rockport school committee approves FY26 budget after $1.2 million in cuts

The Rockport School Committee voted to approve the district's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget Tuesday after administrators outlined more than $1.2 million in reductions and a series of staffing and program changes designed to keep overall services largely intact.

Superintendent Mark Branco led a page-by-page presentation of the budget book, telling the committee the district faces tuition increases for out-of-district special-education placements and other operational pressures. "We are in a very interesting position ... where we're level funding or just under level funding but at the same time we're at or above level services," Branco said, arguing that a mix of reductions and reserves would allow the district to maintain key programs.

The presentation said proposed savings include the equivalent of about seven full-time teacher positions, reductions in stipended curriculum coordinator roles, cuts of several paraprofessional FTEs and the elimination and consolidation of one administrator position into a single prek'—12 special-education facilitator. Administrators said the budget also supports a new Intensive Learning Program intended to serve students in-district and reduce reliance on expensive out-of-district placements.

Branco and staff said the budget reflects roughly $1.2 million in reductions and "just over $1.4 million" in total adjustments once post'town-meeting savings and other offsets are included. The presentation also highlighted a strategy of zero-based budgeting and the use of reserve funds to smooth the gap; Branco said the district would use under $40,000 from reserves to close the final shortfall while noting the district's reserve balance is around $2 million.

Administrators emphasized enrollment trends as a primary driver. The budget book shows 633 students enrolled in-district (preK'12); Branco cited regional and statewide declines and third-party enrollment projections as the basis for staffing realignments and the district's multi-year planning.

Public commenters praised the breadth of work and asked for clearer community communication. "How can the general public or parents ... be made aware all along the way?" asked Kathleen O'Neal, a Rockport resident and grandparent. The superintendent said the budget process had included multiple public sessions since November and that the district will mail a new newsletter to every household and post materials online.

Several public speakers focused on special-education costs. Toby Arensen, who earlier submitted a letter to the select board and the committee, urged the town to press the state for funding and described the situation as unfair. "It is an unfunded mandate," Arensen said, urging a town-meeting resolution calling on the state legislature to assume greater responsibility for special-education expenditures.

School staff also weighed in. The principal of Rockport Middle-High School, speaking as both a building leader and parent, expressed support for the district's approach. "I feel compelled to share my renewed hope, excitement and vision for the district," the principal said, adding that staff and administrators have worked collaboratively through a difficult planning process.

After a brief round of committee questions about circuit-breaker calculations, transportation reimbursement and line-item footnotes, a motion to approve the proposed FY26 budget was made and seconded. The committee voted in favor; the chair announced the budget had been approved and detailed next steps for public outreach and the town meeting schedule.

Administrators said the approved budget materials will be posted on the district website and distributed as hard copies to Town Hall and the library. The superintendent said the district will conduct a "budget road show" between Feb. 6 and April 5 and that the budget will be presented at the town meeting on April 5.

The meeting adjourned after brief committee remarks and recognition of student achievements.