Northborough presents $32.08M FY27 operational budget, committee fields questions on substitutes, athletics and solar savings

At its March 4 meeting the Northborough School Committee held a public hearing on the district’s FY27 budget. Becky Culver presented line-item totals by DESE function classifications: regular day programs $21,099,873 (a 4.52% increase over FY26), instruction line items $15,904,379, operations and maintenance $2,067,366, fixed charges $695,279, and a special education subtotal of $10,976,968 (an 11.97% increase). The total FY27 operational budget presented was $32,076,841, representing a 6.96% overall increase.

Committee members questioned details of several line items. One member asked why the long-term substitute classification showed a large percent increase; Culver explained DESE defines long-term subs as assignments longer than 30 days and that the district recently moved funds out of teacher salary lines into a designated long-term substitute classification for more accurate DESE reporting. The athletics increase was attributed to items tied to collective bargaining. Culver also said the district expects some electricity savings from recently installed solar arrays.

Joan asked whether the town would be in an override situation to absorb the 6.96% increase; administration said the town is not currently in an override situation but town budgets were still being finalized and additional information from the appropriations and select boards is expected before a final determination.

The public hearing closed at 6:43 p.m. after no community members spoke on the budget; the committee proceeded to other agenda items.