Brookline officials outline austere FY27 cuts and three-tier override options to avoid deep multi‑year deficits

The Brookline School Committee spent the bulk of its March 4 meeting on FY27 budget projections and the district’s analysis of a failed‑override scenario. Superintendent Bella Wong summarized staff work to reduce an initial FY27 gap from $12.8 million to $7.1 million by correcting enrollment projections, reorganizing district teams, and trimming lines. With the town’s current allocation of $1.7 million, she said the immediate gap is approximately $5.27 million.

Wong walked the committee through reductions already embedded in the proposed FY27 budget (a net 22.1 FTE reduction) and deeper cuts that would be required if alternate funding is not secured. The district presented modeled consequences across FY27–FY29: an additional 58.2 FTE reduction in FY27 (bringing a potential net FY27 total to ~80.3 FTE) and cumulative reductions that could total 210.3 FTE across the multiyear horizon if no alternate funding is identified. Staff identified program impacts that would reach entire program areas: elimination or steep reduction of nonmandatory summer programming (Project Discovery), conservatory music for grades 6–8, world language in grades 6–8, reductions in plus‑one assignments and MTSS supports, cuts to athletics and extracurriculars, elimination of some transportation (South Brookline bus service), and higher fees for remaining programs.

Committee members pressed staff on class‑size modeling, which showed K–8 averages rising to about 30 students and some individual classes projected in the 40–50 range under the extreme scenario. At the high school, average core class sizes could exceed 32 with ranges that would create concerns about lab capacity, safety, and accreditation compliance. Staff said that failing to fund FY27 would make it difficult or impossible to recapture lost programs in later years.

Town Administrator Chaz Carey presented possible override structures the Select Board may place on the ballot before the March 31 deadline. He described three options: a larger, phased override that covers the multi‑year gap; a tiered ballot (voters pick among incremental levy increases) that lets voters choose a level of support; and a model that takes a larger levy increase up front but places surplus into a stabilization fund to smooth FY30 pressures. Carey said Tier 2 (a mid‑range upfront approach that builds reserves) would give the town and schools runway to make structural changes and avoid a cliff in FY30, while Tier 1 would meet a psychological goal of keeping the tax‑levy increase near 10% but leave less reserve to address FY30. Carey and staff noted that final numbers depend on imminent GIC (health‑insurance) decisions and the House Ways & Means budget.

No committee vote on the FY27 proposed budget occurred at this meeting. Committee members asked for additional documentation, a clear FAQ for staff and families about what would—and would not—be restored if funding is secured, and timelines for nonrenewal notices. The committee also discussed meeting schedule options to ensure members could review detailed line‑item information before any vote.

Key numbers reported in the meeting:
- Initial FY27 projected increase: $12,800,000
- Revised FY27 projection (as of 02/26): $7,100,000
- Town allocation reported in discussion: $1,700,000
- Immediate gap after allocation: approximately $5,270,000
- Embedded reductions in proposed FY27: net 22.1 FTE
- Additional reductions in failed‑override FY27 scenario: 58.2 FTE (net 80.3 FTE total)
- Multiyear potential cumulative reductions if no alternate funding: up to ~210.3 FTE

Next steps: staff will circulate detailed slides, FAQ documents for staff and families, and a requested memo about nonrenewal timelines; the Select Board will decide by March 31 whether and how to present an override question to voters.