Weymouth Schools Face $1.9 Million Budget Shortfall
District plans staff cuts, fee increases to address financial challenges
WEYMOUTH - February 27 - Weymouth Public Schools is grappling with a projected $1.9 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, prompting district officials to outline a sustainability plan that includes staff reductions and increased fees.
Superintendent Melanie Curtin and Assistant Superintendent of Finance Brian Smith presented the financial outlook during the School Committee meeting on February 27, detailing how the district plans to address the deficit.
"We are trying to get back to living within our means at this point," Curtin says. "The plan is to make thoughtful adjustments that align with our priorities and provide long-term sustainability given the economic challenges."
The current shortfall stems from a larger $5.3 million deficit the district faced last year, which was partially addressed through cuts, increased revenue support, and one-time funding sources.
"If we cut $5.3 million last year, we would have decimated our district," Smith explains. "So what we did was a combination of cuts. We relied on increased revenue support and then one-time funding sources to push the problem out a year, which creates that structural deficit."
Smith identifies four main factors contributing to the district's financial challenges: the end of one-time Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, growing student needs, inflation affecting transportation and utility costs, and declining revenues.
The district's projected budget for fiscal year 2026 is just over $92 million, representing a 5.27% increase from the current year. However, based on conversations with town officials, the district anticipates receiving funding that supports only about a 3% increase, creating the $1.9 million gap.
To address the shortfall, the district plans to eliminate several positions, including the executive director of elementary education and seven elementary instructional coaches who will return to classroom teaching. The district also will not fill the director of fine and performing arts position following a resignation.
Additionally, approximately 20 full-time employees at the secondary level (grades 6-12) will be cut across all content areas, which will likely result in increased class sizes.
"When we say class sizes, we're not saying astronomical class sizes. It's probably 24, 25, moving up into those numbers," Curtin notes.
The district also plans to increase all fees to account for inflation and utilize remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Curtin emphasizes the difficulty of these decisions, particularly regarding staff reductions.
"A lot of the people that we look at are new educators that have come into our district that we provided training for," she says. "It's really, really hard to think about these young educators that might lose their jobs at this point. We try to keep in mind at all times that we're affecting careers and we're affecting livelihoods."
Despite the cuts, Curtin stresses the district's commitment to maintaining its educational priorities.
"As a community, we are always trying to provide an inclusive whole-child educational experience to ensure our students receive a well-rounded education that integrates a strong core curriculum, but along with that comes our arts, our wellness enrichment opportunities, and we don't want to lose any of those things," she says.
The district plans to continue refining its budget proposal in the coming weeks. A more detailed presentation is scheduled for March 13, with the School Committee expected to vote on the budget on March 27. The proposal will then move through the town approval process, with a presentation to the Town Council in May.
"We will continue to work with everyone, talk with everyone, the union, the mayor's office, school committee, town council, the public, staff, everyone," Smith says. "We just need everyone to understand what the numbers are, how we got here, and where we're going."
School Committee member Kathleen Curran acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed confidence in the district's financial management.
"We've always, you know, had to deal with budget shortfalls, and we've always managed," Curran says. "We've always gotten the best bang for our buck. And, you know, I would imagine it would continue, but it is going to be very difficult the next few years."
In other business:
- The School Committee approved the 2025-26 school year calendar, with the first day of school following a similar pattern to this year. Grades 1-6 and 9 will start first, giving sixth and ninth graders a half day in their buildings by themselves. The potential last day of school would be June 26, assuming five snow days.
- The committee accepted $205,795 in monetary and in-kind gifts for the first half of the fiscal year.
- The committee approved the contract for Lindsey Fratolillo as the new Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. Fratolillo currently serves as principal at Wessagusset.
- The committee observed a moment of silence for three recently deceased members of the Weymouth School Community: Tim Daly, a science teacher who served 37 years; Richard Carnes, a history teacher who served nearly 40 years; and Joe Wilkins, a math teacher and department chair who served over 22 years.