Norton School Committee Opens 15 High School Choice Seats, Eyes Up to 10 Staff Cuts

School Committee · Meeting of April 1, 2026

Norton School Committee opens 15 school choice seats for fall 2026 while bracing for up to $1.6 million in budget cuts. The committee voted unanimously to accept 10 incoming ninth graders and 5 tenth graders through school choice, closing the program entirely at the elementary level and in grade eight, where two seats offered last year yielded only one taker. Superintendent Dr.

Jennifer O'Neill told the board that a level-funded fiscal year 2027 budget would require eliminating eight to 10 staff positions, on top of a net loss of roughly 40 positions over the past two years. The district has received approximately $1.5 million in school choice revenue this year but projects outgoing school choice costs, students leaving Norton for other districts and virtual schools, will rise from $276,004 to $425,000 next year, straining a revolving account that sits at roughly $1.1 million. The committee also conducted Dr.

O'Neill's annual evaluation, rating her proficient to exemplary across most categories, with communication and family engagement rated exemplary; the Finance Committee's public hearing on the town budget is set for April 27.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of April 1, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.