The Stoughton School Committee is facing a significant fiscal challenge as Superintendent Dr. Joseph Baeta presented a $73,077,362 budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2027, representing an 8.66% increase over the current year. This request clashes sharply with the town’s preliminary recommendation of a 3.5% increase, which would leave the district with a $3,467,342 shortfall. Dr. Baeta emphasized that the higher figure is necessary to meet escalating Special Education mandates and contractual obligations, noting that the town's current offer of $69,610,020 does not meet our current expenses.

A primary driver of the budget hike is the addition of 20 new specialized positions. While the district is not seeking new general education staff, it must add two full-time teachers and two paraprofessionals to transition students from the GROW program into a new Therapeutic Learning Classroom (TLC) at the elementary level. Dr. Baeta framed these hires as a cost-avoidance strategy, explaining that keeping students in-district is far more economical than out-of-district placements, which can cost up to $300,000 per student. If you have 10 students moving out of district, that could cost $600,000 at a collaborative, Baeta said. We know there's an offset of a better cost to keeping them here.

The committee expressed deep concern regarding the lack of clear revenue projections from the town. Member Jenn Sears described the difficulty of navigating the budget process without a full financial picture, stating, I feel like I have a hand tied behind my back trying to build this when we don't know what type of revenue is coming in. She specifically pointed to a staggering $1.6 million increase in Special Education transportation costs as a major hurdle. Motion Made by J. Sears to enter executive session at the start of the meeting to discuss strategy. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

Member Jillian Distefano questioned if other districts had found creative solutions to similar gaps, asking, Have any of your peers suggested potential solutions, or is it just no one knows at this point? Dr. Baeta pointed to the potential of the Fair Tax Act (Millionaires Tax) providing state-level relief and suggested a long-term capital plan to purchase district-owned mini-buses. This would reduce the reliance on third-party vendors, some of whom currently charge over $300 daily for a single student’s transportation. Distefano also suggested a cost analysis for purchasing vans for the athletic department after hearing that a single bus to a jazz festival in Amherst costs the district $1,700.

Director of Finance Heidi Perkins provided a detailed look at the offsets used to balance the books, including federal IDEA and Title I grants which currently fund interventionist salaries. Perkins noted that the district relies on a projected 70-75% reimbursement from the state's Circuit Breaker program for high-cost special education, though the exact figures won't be confirmed until next summer. The circuit breaker is state money... I'm fairly confident in the $3 million, but we won't know the percentage until next August, Perkins explained.

The committee also scrutinized the athletics and extracurricular budgets. Member Karen Powers questioned a significant shift in contracted services, noting a jump from $15,000 to over $100,000 in certain lines. I don't have the detail to tell you what makes up that number, Powers said, adding, You're saying 20 new positions for our special ed department—that's where the stressors are? Athletic Director Matt Colantonio clarified that $68,000 of that increase covers the athletic trainer's fee. We were instructed to come in and look as low as possible, so there was some tightening of our belts, Colantonio said, explaining that many supplies were purchased in previous cycles to keep the current request lean.

The conversation turned to traditional fundraising when Powers advocated for the return of canning—soliciting donations in public spaces—to support the band and theater programs. While Dr. Baeta noted that the practice had been discouraged in the past due to safety concerns, he expressed openness to revisiting it if a safe plan was presented. The committee also touched upon the Special Education Stabilization account, which currently holds $500,000. Perkins explained that this fund acts as an emergency reserve for unanticipated placements and requires a vote from the Select Board to access, contrasting it with the town's general stabilization fund of approximately $10 million.

Chair Chris Shannon closed the discussion by praising the board's detailed review of the line items. Thank you everybody so much for your attention and intentionality around the budget. I really appreciate it, Shannon said. The district plans to release a comprehensive budget workbook to the public ahead of the formal public hearing on December 16, as they continue to monitor the impact of the 21.7% IEP rate—well above the state average—on Stoughton's long-term financial health.