03:13The board has already made staffing reductions to address the known shortfall of $620,000. These adjustments included the elimination of five central office positions and a reduction of 2.5 full-time classroom teaching staff, based on enrollment projections. These cuts were made with an emphasis on protecting classroom instruction wherever possible.

10:13Superintendent Putnam also highlighted concerns about further potential funding losses from proposed legislative changes, such as the Senate’s compensatory hold-harmless proposal and the House’s plan to eliminate school library aid. The Senate’s proposal could result in a decrease of over $1.1 million, impacting the district’s staff and programming plans. The district has already taken steps to address these concerns by sending a formal letter to area legislators, urging reconsideration of these funding provisions.

06:26Additional financial pressures come from the introduction of a new paid family leave payroll tax, estimated to cost the district $650,000 in fiscal year 2026. Furthermore, the district is bracing for a 5% reduction in federal Title allocations due to changes in free and reduced-price lunch percentages, a consequence of the universal free meals program.

08:36Compounding these challenges is a significant rise in special education needs, with an 8.9% increase in students requiring services. To manage this, the district reallocated funds to support special education staffing, but the demand continues to exceed the available categorical funding.