Proposed $1.1M in staffing reductions could cut programs, district says

Administration outlined proposed reductions that net about $1,100,000, including retirements, position restructures and some role eliminations. Dr. Germain said the reductions represent an attempt to align staffing to fewer students while meeting state and federal obligations; she emphasized the district will still need certain roles to support students with IEPs and MLL needs.

"We have about 1,100,000 proposed," Dr. Germain said, adding that the list of specific reductions is included in the draft and will be examined during the committee's follow‑up meetings. Several school committee members and former school staff cautioned that trimming positions like truancy officers or certain administrative supports could weaken the district’s ability to appear in court or manage residency checks; one long‑time staffer urged keeping an identifiable person to attend court and community outreach.

School leaders also described workforce constraints: paraeducator counts increased from 66 to 84, but many positions remain unfilled and certification requirements for MLL/EL staff will add professional‑development and substitute costs. The committee voted previously to issue an RFP for an independent auditor to evaluate staffing and programming to inform those trade‑offs.