Rockport School Committee reviews FY27 operating budget; committee told district is 'standing on solid ground'

Superintendent Mark Branca presented the Rockport School District's FY27 operating budget draft, saying the leadership team built the plan from the ground up using a zero‑based budgeting approach and refined several lines since the committee's last meeting. He told the committee the district is not proposing position cuts in the FY27 draft and described prior reductions implemented during earlier rightsizing efforts.

"We are in our 4th year of using a 0 based budgeting format," Branca said, describing the district's method of rebuilding budgets based on current student needs rather than rolling numbers forward. He summarized three years of prior reductions in spending and staffing and said those actions — including a net reduction of 32 positions over the three years described — have put the district in a position where large new cuts are not required for FY27.

Branca asked the committee to approve the draft so staff can post openings and finalize recruitment; he also outlined the FY27 public timeline, with a public presentation and budget hearing set for Feb. 4 and the town meeting presentation targeted for April 11. He emphasized materials (slide deck and a one‑page funding 'cheat sheet') will be available in the budget book at the next meeting.

Committee members pressed for clarity on how the FY27 ask will present to taxpayers after accounting adjustments. "We are asking for for 3.0" (referring to a 3% budget request from FY26 to FY27), Branca said, adding that staff adjusted lines to make the comparison 'apples to apples' after the town agreed to take some cost centers. The committee scheduled the next meeting for a full budget book review and a more detailed enrollment and school choice breakout.