Norton School Committee Unanimously Approves $38.7 Million FY27 Budget Request

School Committee · Meeting of March 4, 2026

Norton School Committee unanimously approved a $38,734,183 FY27 budget request, a 4.4 percent increase over the current year. Superintendent Dr. Jennifer O'Neill called the plan a "needs-based" budget driven largely by roughly $2 million in contractual salary increases, partially offset by a 0.47 percent rise in special education costs — totaling $16,935,082 — and decreases in out-of-district tuition and transportation.

The budget assumes $13.8 million in Chapter 70 state aid and projects $1.7 million in school choice revenue, while flagging that Title II, Title III, and Title IV federal grants totaling approximately $90,000 are not guaranteed. Committee members warned residents openly that the full 4.4 percent increase is unlikely to survive the Finance Committee and Select Board process ahead of the May 18 town meeting, with one member noting that a 2 percent outcome would require finding roughly $900,000 in reductions across five schools and central office. A consultant from Ross Haber and Associates presented a district alignment study recommending against any grade realignment, citing transportation cost increases of $630,000 to $720,000 per year under the most promising boundary scenario.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of March 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.