The Scituate School Committee voted unanimously Monday night to advance a proposed $55 million school budget for fiscal year 2027, maintaining current services while incorporating targeted investments in staffing, curriculum and technology.
The proposed budget totals $55,029,061, representing a 4.57 percent increase over the current fiscal year. Of that amount, $50.29 million would be funded by the town, with $4.73 million coming from a combination of state and federal grants. Additional revenue is generated through revolving accounts such as tuition, transportation fees and athletics receipts.
Superintendent Thomas Raab said the proposal has already been presented to the Select Board and Advisory Committee and was met with support for its level-services approach.
“One of the big things we highlighted was how we transfer staff,” Raab said. “If we need to make some changes, we need to deal with enrollment spikes, and they were very appreciative of that.”
District officials described the FY27 proposal as a level-services budget, meaning no across-the-board staffing cuts are planned. Instead, staffing adjustments are tied to enrollment changes and program needs. Overall district staffing would increase modestly from 515.65 to 519.45 full-time equivalent positions. District officials said some of the increase reflects adjusted hours and staff transfers rather than entirely new positions.
Among the additions included in the budget is a 0.6 drama teacher at Scituate High School, creating a formal drama curriculum. An additional special education teacher is included at Hatherly Elementary School to support a growing student population, while staff reductions are planned in areas where enrollment has declined.
“I would just request a motion for a budget in the amount of 55 million, $29,06 million, unless there’s any questions or further follow-up questions,” Raab said during the meeting.
Committee Chair Nicole Brandolini raised concerns about pedestrian safety near Route 3A and First Parish Road during the budget discussion, though she emphasized the issue falls outside the school department’s financial authority. She noted the concern has been raised repeatedly by residents.
Raab said crossing guards are employees of the police department and not funded through the school budget, but said he would follow up with town officials.
Beyond staffing, the proposed budget includes significant classroom investments tied to the district’s curriculum review cycle. Funding is included for a new elementary science curriculum, along with professional development to support teachers. Additional funding supports expanded ELA curriculum work at the middle and high school levels, as well as math fluency programs in grades two through five.
Technology spending also remains a major component of the budget. The district plans to refresh student Chromebooks, replace aging staff laptops on a five-year cycle, and invest in cybersecurity and network infrastructure upgrades. Administrators said technology spending has increased significantly over the past several years to reduce reliance on large capital requests.
Special education accounts for approximately 29 percent of total spending, with out-of-district tuition costs remaining relatively stable at about $3.9 million. District leaders said maintaining in-district programs helps control rising tuition costs while keeping students in the least restrictive environment.
The committee ultimately voted unanimously to advance the proposal.
The vote followed earlier public comment from a resident who works as a substitute teacher and urged the district to address stagnant substitute pay. While changes to substitute wages are not included in the current proposal, Raab acknowledged the concern.
“I think our daily subs are next on the list,” he said. “I can’t guarantee next year, but it’s certainly top of mind that it’s something that we have to do.”
The proposed school budget now moves forward as part of Scituate’s broader municipal budget process, with additional review expected in the coming weeks.
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