Finance Subcommittee approves FY'27 budget with 9.54 percent increase
School Committee - Finance Subcommittee · Meeting of March 9, 2026
EASTHAMPTON — School Finance Subcommittee unanimously approves FY'27 budget with 9.54 percent increase. Director of Business Services Julia Saari-Franks presented the proposal to Subcommittee Chair Megan W. Harvey, members Laura Scott and Bonnie Atkins, Superintendent Michelle Balch, and Mayor Salem Derby.
The 9.54 percent increase is driven primarily by out-of-district tuition, vocational program tuition, and transportation costs. Non-general fund spending is proposed at approximately $3.4 million for FY'27. The committee noted concerns about declining Title I funding and uncertainty around oil price effects on transportation costs.
The current FY'26 budget faces an estimated $700,000 deficit due to unexpectedly high out-of-district tuition, which will be partially offset by vocational tuition savings.
In the full story:
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Source: the School Committee - Finance Subcommittee meeting of March 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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