School committee approves FY2027 budget after large health-care cost increase

Coventry School Committee voted 7-0 to approve the fiscal year 2027 budget after Superintendent Don Cowart said updated health-care rates raised the district's benefit costs by about $543,000.

Superintendent Don Cowart said the district had budgeted a roughly 7.5% increase for health care but received new rates showing "it's gone up 14 and 1/2 for health." He told the committee the additional cost was currently placed in the employee benefits line, which will lower the fund balance and reduce how much the district can apply toward its five-year deficit reduction plan.

The superintendent described a near-term plan to search for offsets: "My team is going to be doing over the next number of months is looking into other places in our budget or other cost-saving measures that we can implement to offset that $500,000," he said. Board members asked about several possible relief points for the current year, including the district's DCYF expenses, CTE tuition projections and transportation costs; Cowart said some of those figures will be clearer in May and June.

A committee member asked whether relying on increased state aid could create a structural deficit; Cowart replied that he would consult the finance office and the town, but said the current jump in rates was unusually large and he did not expect similarly large swings next year.

Members pressed for ongoing updates. Cowart said he expects to provide monthly briefings on progress locating savings and will return to the committee with recommended adjustments before making additional permanent changes to the budget.

The committee approved the FY2027 budget without further amendment; the motion carried 7-0.

What happens next: Cowart and staff will continue to seek cost-savings and report back to the committee as year-end financial details (DCYF reimbursements, CTE tuition, transportation figures) become available.