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Community shares input concerning 2025-26 budget

Community shares input concerning 2025-26 budget

In the first of several budget forums community members were invited by Superintendent Susan Yom and her staff to ask questions and offer ideas for their priorities for the 2025-2026 budget.

“We hope to be able to have an opportunity to get your input on the different things you would like to see in the budget,” Ms. Yom said at the January 28th event. “It’s an opportunity to hear everyone’s voice.”

As she and her staff work to put together a budget, Ms. Yom explained that decisions are guided by the district’s mission, values and vision.

“All decisions are student focused,” she said.

Deputy Superintendent James Yap said the budget includes support for academics, co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for students, and it also addresses safety concerns and infrastructure for new technology.

In his presentation, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Tom Murphy explained that there are four key areas in the budget: demographics, outcomes, costs and revenue.

“Where is our enrollment at and we need to react to where are students are,” he explained. “How are our students doing. Everything we do is for our student’s success. The budget is no different.”

Mr. Murphy explained too that there are annual costs that are part of every budget. These include health insurance, collective bargaining agreements, pensions and transportation.

“A large majority of our budget are for these aspects,” Ms. Yom explained.

In terms of revenue, the largest amount for the district comes from taxes, followed by state aid, reserve funds and facilities use.

Mr. Murphy said this year there is talk that districts may receive more funds from the state than they have in the recent past. In his opinion, if it were to be true, the funding would most likely be found in next year’s budget, not the one for 2025-2026.

He explained how a budget shows what the district spends, but it is not solely a one-year document, but rather a projection looking at the next three years.

“You are never going to spend to the penny,” he said. “You are always going to have a little bit of a fund balance.”

Mr. Yap shared how technology is being introduced to students, beginning with those at Dixson, where students have been introduced to simple robots. Elementary students are working with Engineering in Elementary, a technological resource available through the Boston Children’s Museum. He said too, that at the high school, they are looking at increasing opportunities for students, including opportunities in bio-medical science.

“On the technology side, we have begun wiring right now,” Mr. Yap said, adding that there will be a new PA system installed, and phones will be put in the classroom in all buildings and new wireless doors and locks are being installed.

Community members were given an opportunity to share their thoughts of what they would like to see in the budget.

Many were focused on providing more enrichment opportunities for students. Such things as field trips to take advantage of the educational and cultural opportunities in nearby New York City.

Others spoke of an increase in offerings for students, including clubs and after-school events related to technology, such as coding or robotics or AI.

At the time of the meeting, the federal government had put a hold on funding that would support many education-related services. The day after the forum, the hold was rescinded, however, community members were interested to learn what would happen should federal funds not be available and asked questions pertaining to the issue.

Will it interrupt Universal Pre-K at all, either this year or next? What about funding for free breakfast and lunch for students? If these funds are no longer available, is there a way for the district to find other funding resources? What happens if Title 1 funding is reduced or no longer available?

In addressing the concerns relating to federal funding, Mr. Murphy admitted no one is sure exactly what it could mean. He did say he is following several watch groups who have offered some guidance to districts and other entities that may be impacted. For now, however, everyone is in a state of limbo.

He did reassure those in attendance that while the federal funding issue may be unknown at the moment, there are several areas that receive state aid. Universal Pre-K, he said is state funded through a grant, and the free breakfast and lunch programs comes from monies provided by the state.

Ms. Yom noted, however, that while state aid is forthcoming, districts may not always know when they will receive these funds.

Others encouraged district administrators to be more transparent when it comes to the budget so that the community can gain a better understanding of what exactly is in the budget and what is actually spent by the district.

The Superintendent thanked those for sharing their thoughts and noted there will be other opportunities to do so between now and when the board approves the budget.

“This was a very rich evening,” she said.

Upcoming Budget Meetings

Feb. 5, Building Condition Survey Presentation, Capital Projects Update

March 1, Community Budget Presentation

April 10, Board Adoption

May 8, Public Hearing

May 20, Budget Vote and Trustee Election