Rockport School Committee approves FY26 budget after $1.2 million in reductions

The Rockport School Committee on Wednesday approved the district's proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget, $16,962,077 in total, with a town appropriation request of $14,745,139.

Superintendent Mark Ranco presented the budget at a public hearing and said the plan includes roughly $1.2 million in reductions and program adjustments that reduce overall growth to slightly below zero compared with the FY25 budget. Ranco told the committee the reductions include vacancies and reconfigurations — three vacancies recognized after last year's town meeting, a reorganization that reduces the equivalent of seven full‑time teacher positions due to declining enrollment, consolidation of curriculum coordinator stipends (saving about $36,000), a reduction equivalent to five paraprofessional FTEs through program changes, and a restructuring that replaces an elementary assistant‑principal/special‑education facilitator with a single preK–12 special‑education facilitator.

"We're in a position where we're level funding or just under level funding, but at the same time we're at or above level services," Ranco said, describing a combination of rightsizing and targeted reductions. He added that the district proposes adding a maintenance position to move from reactive to preventative facilities work and is investing in an 'intensive learning program' intended to keep more students in‑district instead of sending them to out‑of‑district special‑education placements.

Ranco also outlined key budget drivers: higher nonconsortium out‑of‑district special‑education tuition and a 10% increase in collaborative tuition rates. He said the district is working with NESDEC enrollment projections and expects in‑district enrollment to decline from the current 633 students preK–12 to a five‑year range the administration estimates at roughly 525–570 pupils. Ranco emphasized the district's effort to mitigate taxpayer impact through reductions and by increasing offsets such as athletics and gate fee revenues, grants and user fees.

During the presentation the superintendent described a regional approach to special‑education transportation: Rockport is an early participant in a North Shore consortium planning a shared RFP for transportation to reduce costs, with a target of implementing the change for the coming September.

Public comments focused on transparency and special‑education funding. Kathleen O'Neil, a grandparent, said she was surprised to learn of major budget impacts from local news coverage and asked how the district can keep parents and residents informed earlier. Ranco and other committee members pointed to multiple prior public budget sessions, a forthcoming mailed newsletter called "In the Loop," and the district's website as channels to reach taxpayers.

Toby Arsenian, a resident who submitted a letter to the select board and the committee, pressed the district to ask the town meeting to adopt a resolution urging the state legislature to fully fund special‑education costs. "The expenses are entirely the fault of the state," Arsenian said, calling the current structure an "unfunded mandate." The committee did not take action on a resolution during the meeting; Ranco and members acknowledged the longstanding state funding issue and said they would prepare responses to written questions submitted to the committee.

An emailed statement from Joanne Hildreth, co‑president of the Rockport Teachers Association, was read into the record; the note thanked administrators and teachers for work supporting students during transitions and emphasized the district's relational strengths.

Committee members asked staff technical questions about state reimbursement (the "circuit‑breaker" mechanism) and why the presentation breaks out middle and high school budget lines separately; business manager June Sanfilippo explained that state reporting requires separate coding for grades 6–8 and 9–12 and that circuit‑breaker payments are calculated in arrears based on individual student cost packages.

After discussion, Vice Chair Nicole Alterri moved to approve the proposed FY26 budget; Mark Lorenz seconded the motion. The committee approved the budget by voice vote and Superintendent Ranco said the district will begin a "budget roadshow" of public outreach running roughly Feb. 6–April 5 ahead of town meeting on April 5, when the appropriation will be considered by voters.

Votes and next steps: the School Committee approved the FY26 budget as presented and scheduled public distribution of the budget book, hard‑copy availability at town hall and the library, and additional public hearings and outreach ahead of town meeting.