School budget currently $1.6 million over town projection

The proposed budget for the Dartmouth Public School's Fiscal Year 2027 is currently $1,610,726 over the town’s projected budget, with little room for cuts to the proposal.

The district is looking to increase its budget by 6.85% to cover key budget factors, the school choice reliance plan and budget recommendations. 

However, on Monday, March 2, James Kiely, the assistant superintendent of finance operations told School Committee members that the projected town budget would only allow for a 3.5% increase.

School Committee member Chris Oliver noted that this 3.5% increase wouldn't cover the district's "contractual obligations," causing the budget to  fall short by $841,124, which is just over 1.5%.

"For me, the bottom line is, I think we need to push this budget forward, and let's see what happens," Oliver said. "We need to get the word out that what we're doing right now is not enough."

He added, "Let the Select Board tell us that they're not going to support the budget."

Coughlin said that some of their budget recommendations, while not falling under the key budget factors, are requests that could save the district money in the long run.

"We wouldn't even be allowed to spend money to save money," she said.

At the School Committee meeting, Kiely and committee members discussed potential ways to trim their budget proposal, although these methods wouldn't lower the budget increase to 3.5%.

The school district recently received support from the town's opioid committee to fund afterschool programs in the amount of $100,000, which would marginally decrease the school choice spending plan request.

Kiely also pointed to a $367,266 price point for the district's kindergarten stabilization account, which, if removed from the budget, would save 0.66 percent.

"We've been careful with our budget and we have reduced it in past years, and it would only hurt the students to continue that," Chair Elizabeth Coughlin said.

She noted that the costs of basic needs have gone up and that over the past few years the district hasn't increased its spending in response.

"We are getting around to increasing [spending] to reflect reality. They've been underfunded for six years," she said.

Coughlin called the schools a "pride of Dartmouth" and noted that if the schools aren't funded then "they will not be."

Oliver noted that there are certain positions built into the budget that are "non-negotiable."

"We'll see what the future brings," he said.