Rochester School Committee Budget Hearing — April 9, 2026

The Rochester School Committee convened on April 9, 2026, for a public hearing to review and vote on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Rochester Memorial School (RMS) operating budget. Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber presented a total budget proposal of $7,995,362, which included $7,638,169 for Rochester elementary school operations and $357,193 for tuition and transportation to Bristol County Agricultural High School. The operating budget represented a 3.89% increase ($286,287) over FY2026, driven by an extraordinary increase of more than $530,000 in specialized out-of-district residential special education tuitions, despite state Chapter 70 aid increasing by only about $34,000.

To balance the budget within available municipal revenues, the administration proposed the elimination of four full-time equivalent (FTE) classroom educator positions, reducing regular education classroom sections across most grades from four to three. School Committee Chair Kate Duggan, committee members, Town Administrator Cameron Durant, and Select Board Chair Adam Murphy discussed why a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override was not viable for FY2027, explaining that a proper override campaign requires long-term planning, a five-year financial forecast from a consultant, and community education. Other potential revenue ideas, class size impacts, special education stabilization funding, and school choice were also addressed during public comments.

The School Committee voted unanimously to close the public hearing and voted unanimously to approve the superintendent's proposed FY2027 budget of $7,995,362 to be forwarded to Town Meeting on May 18, 2026. Additionally, the committee unanimously approved a motion requesting an authorization of $250,000 in town free cash or other funds to help offset specialized education tuitions. Chair Duggan concluded the meeting by announcing that State Senator Michael Rodrigues had secured a pending $200,000 state budget earmark (Amendment 334 to Senate Bill S3041) to offset Rochester Memorial School special education expenses.

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