District outlines $2.48M in reductions as it advances grade reconfiguration plan

School leaders presented a set of proposed reductions totaling approximately $2,476,043 tied to consolidation into a three‑school model (PK–3, 4–7, 8–12) and other line‑item savings. The district said those reductions bring a draft FY25 operating budget to about $27,886,184, roughly $80,000 under the FY24 working total but still likely to increase town assessments because of lost one‑time federal revenue and a higher state minimum local contribution.

Superintendent Jason DeFalco described the budget drivers to the committee: declines in ESSER and other one‑time pandemic funds, circuit‑breaker variability for special education, and state formula changes that shift costs into local assessments. On the reduction list, the administration identified consolidation savings (staffing, utilities, custodial), transportation adjustments, modest cuts to out‑of‑district and summer program lines, and reductions in discretionary expenditures such as conferences and late buses. The administration estimated about $7.1 million of the $2.48M total would come from consolidation‑related categories after accounting for staff reassignments and facility closures.

Committee members asked for more detail on what would remain in each principal’s staffing request after reductions, the projected class sizes under consolidation, and how reductions would affect safety and intervention services. A town administrator and committee members noted the disproportionate near‑term assessment impacts: Millville’s share could rise by several hundred thousand dollars and Blackstone’s by a larger sum, depending on the final certified budget and the state calculations for minimum local contribution.

The committee set a budget workshop for Feb. 13 to review the detailed line items and to finalize a working number prior to the joint town finance meeting on Feb. 27. The administration said it will provide per‑building 'in/out' comparison sheets showing what was requested versus what remains after proposed reductions, expected class‑size impacts, and any positions still considered essential for student services.

What’s next: additional insurance numbers and a final FY25 draft will be provided in time for committee deliberations on March 7; committee members will weigh safety and instructional implications alongside fiscal constraints when certifying a budget to the towns.

Sources: Committee presentations and public discussion during the Feb. 8 meeting.