Hingham Schools Face Staff Cuts Amid Budget Constraints
District proposes reducing 15 positions, introducing new fees to balance FY26 budget
HINGHAM - February 10 - Hingham Public Schools is grappling with difficult decisions as it works to balance its fiscal year 2026 budget within a 3.5% growth cap mandated by a memorandum of understanding with the town. The district has proposed reducing staff by 15 positions while introducing new fees to maintain essential services and programs.
Superintendent Katie Roberts presented the proposed budget to the school committee on Feb. 10, outlining the challenges faced by the district. The $70,383,752 budget represents a 3.5% increase from the previous year, in line with the MOU signed in March 2023.
"Given that we had already cut deep into our discretionary lines last year, there really wasn't further to go," Roberts said. "And so we did this year, again, on the recommendation of the Sustainable Budget Task Force, look closely at fees."
The proposed staff reductions include 5.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions at the elementary level, 2.4 FTEs at the middle school, and 5 FTEs at the high school. Additionally, the district plans to eliminate one administrative position in the student services department and reduce a central office position.
To offset some of the budget constraints, the district is proposing several new fees and increases to existing ones. These include a $250 transportation fee for secondary students, a $250 parking fee for the high school's close lot, $125 for the far lot, and increases to athletic fees.
School Committee Chair Ness Correnti acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, saying, "It's not easy to talk about any kind of reductions. I know that you stepped into this. This was not something that you were working on as it was given to you."
The proposed cuts have raised concerns among committee members and the community. Jacqueline Beaupre, president of the Hingham Education Association, said, "We're all taking a hit here, whether through the introduction of new fees or the potential loss of several colleagues through a reduction in force."
Committee member Michelle Ayer emphasized the importance of considering the long-term impact of these decisions. "I think just to Jacqueline's earlier point and Carrie's more recent point too, I mean, I think we do as a community and a town need to be paying attention to what's going on with potential cuts to Department of Education funding and be prepared for that," she said.
The district is also facing uncertainty regarding federal funding, particularly for professional development and special education. Roberts expressed concern about potential changes at the federal level, saying, "Quite frankly, yes. However, at this point, we just simply don't have enough information in order to factor that into our budget projections."
An enrollment study conducted by the New England School Development Council (NESDEC) projects relatively stable enrollment for the district over the next decade. Elementary enrollment is expected to increase slightly, while high school enrollment is projected to decline.
The school committee voted to approve the total budget figure of $70,383,752 but delayed voting on specific staffing reductions until more information becomes available. The committee will revisit the issue at its Feb. 24 meeting.
Roberts emphasized that the district will continue to monitor enrollment trends and make adjustments as necessary. "We'll continue to track the enrollment and the class sizes and the uneven cohorts and make decisions," she said.
As the budget process continues, the district and community face the challenge of balancing fiscal constraints with the need to maintain high-quality education for Hingham students. The final budget must be approved by the town, and staff reduction notifications must be made by April 15.