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FY 27 REVISED LPS ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION

February 10, 2026

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BUDGET CALENDAR

December1: Joint Select Board / School Committee meeting
January 28: Governor’s Budget Released
February 3: Initial Budget Recommendation
February 10: School Committee Public Hearing –revised recommendation
February 24: School Committee final deliberation and vote
March 9: SC presents budget to SB
March 23: Town Manager presents FY 27 budget to Select Board
April 6: Select Board Votes FY 27 Town Budget
April – June: MA House and Senate budget and deliberation
May 12: Annual Town Meeting
June – July: House and Senate reconciliation and final state budget

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REVISED FY 27 BUDGET

$174,853 below the administrative recommendation made on 2/3/2026
11.2% increase on active health insurance rates voted by the Scantic Valley Regional Health Trust
2/3/2026 represented a level-service recommendation
Tonight’s recommendation

will not impact direct service
eliminates a vacant elementary academic coaching position
captures savings from retirements and hiring practices
reduces budget needed to adequately cover substitute costs
reduces the recommendation for funding of LHS athletics

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,481,694	$1,077,536 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,072,396	$ 1,111,201 over FY26

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,481,694	$1,252,389 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,072,396	$ 1,111,201 over FY26

2.6 %

2.47 %

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CONTEXT:��*STRATEGIC PRIORITIES*��* FISCAL STEWARDSHIP *��* OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY *

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*STRATEGIC PRIORITIES*��* FISCAL STEWARDSHIP *��* OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY *

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FISCAL STEWARDSHIP��STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT��OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Non-entitlement grants

Drug-Free Communities Grant - $125,000 annually
Hate Crimes Prevention Grant -$35,000
Cyber-Security Awareness Training Grant
Add+Vantage Math Recovery - $7,000
Professional Development via National Center for Advancement of Literacy (NCIL)

Educational Efficiency

Multi-year curriculum review cycle to prepare for future adoption
Introduction of Panorama - centralizes key data (academic, attendance, behavior, SEL, etc.) for workflow and student support
Movement to fewer high leverage software tools to manage software subscriptions - CKLA
Aligned curriculum - coordination of standards, pacing and assessment
Staffing responsive to enrollment patterns
Introduction of in-district Special Education services

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*STRATEGIC PRIORITIES*��* FISCAL STEWARDSHIP *��* OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY *

Operational Efficiency

Managed detection and response of cyber threats
Improved technology help desk to organize work flow
Remote management tools
*new* fully on-line registration
*new* coordination with DPW on cloud based work order system

Partnerships

Bay Path University
Collaborative for Educational Services

Combined Middle School

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CONTEXT��* REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES *�* ROI *

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Chapter 70 Aid

Minimum Local Contribution

Approximately= Foundation Budget

Above

Minimum Local Contribution

Grants, etc.

The Building Blocks of a School Budget�

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PERFORMANCE OF SIMILAR DISTRICTS BY WEALTH

DESE Resource Allocation and District Action Reports (RADAR)

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PERFORMANCE AND SPENDING - AREA DISTRICTS

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CONTEXT��* ENROLLMENT AND CLASS SIZE *

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HISTORIC ENROLLMENT

New England School Development, December 2025 * Doesn’t include PreK

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PROJECTED ENROLLMENT

New England School Development, December 2025 * Doesn’t include PreK

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CURRENT LPS ENROLLMENT

Totals do not include students placed out of district

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Projected Elementary Class Size

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FY 27 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,481,694	$1,077,536 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,072,396	$ 1,111,201 over FY26

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,481,694	$1,252,389 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,072,396	$ 1,111,201 over FY26

2.6 %

2.47 %

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Fund Source	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget		% of budget
General Fund	$ 41,404,157.44	$ 42,481,693.59	$ 1,077,536.15	92.2%
Circuit Breaker	$ 1,520,409.00	$ 1,620,291.00	$ 99,882.00	3.5%
METCO Grant	$ 313,916.00	$ 316,572.09	$ 2,656.09	0.7%
School Choice	$ 216,626.20	$ 217,141.20	$ 515.00	0.5%
Regular Education Grants	$ 446,674.00	$ 374,799.91	$ (71,874.09)	0.8%
Special Education Grants	$ 870,975.00	$ 870,975.00	$ -	1.9%
Other Special Revenues	$ 188,437.00	$ 190,923.00	$ 2,486.00	0.4%
Totals	$ 44,961,194.64	$ 46,072,395.79	$ 1,111,201.15	100.0%

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REDUCTIONS			ADDITIONS/INCREASES
Attrition (Retirements/New Hiring)	($495,285)	$1,364,204	Contractual Obligations
Transportation services	($50,783)	$348,725	Utilities
Out of District Tuitions	($95,188)	$102,684	Software and IT Services - Town and School
Academic Tutors - 2.0 FTE	($84,007)	$44,860	Instructional supplies and software
PT Assistant - Pupil Services	($44,060)	$54,281	Physical Therapist - Pupil Services
Elementary Academic Coach - 1.0 FTE	($99,330)	$16,230	Vocational Tuitions
		$12,954	School Consumable Supplies
		$15,000	Athletic Program funding
		$25,430	Substitute salaries
		$10,485	Miscellaneous

Sub-total	($779,753)	$1,890,954	Sub-total

	$1,111,201

The adjustments here are $175, 853 below the 2-3-25 administrative recommendation; no impact on direct service

FY 27 Projected Budget Adjustments

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LPS

Cost Centers

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REDUCTIONS			ADDITIONS/INCREASES
Attrition (Retirements/New Hiring)	($495,285)	$1,364,204	Contractual Obligations
Transportation services	($50,783)	$348,725	Utilities
Out of District Tuitions	($95,188)	$102,684	Software and IT Services - Town and School
Academic Tutors - 2.0 FTE	($84,007)	$44,860	Instructional supplies and software
PT Assistant - Pupil Services	($44,060)	$54,281	Physical Therapist - Pupil Services
Elementary Academic Coach - 1.0 FTE	($99,330)	$16,230	Vocational Tuitions
		$12,954	School Consumable Supplies
		$15,000	Athletic Program funding
		$25,430	Substitute salaries
		$10,485	Miscellaneous

Sub-total	($779,753)	$1,890,954	Sub-total

	$1,111,201

The adjustments here are $175, 853 below the 2-3-25 administrative recommendation; no impact on direct service

FY 27 Projected Budget Adjustments

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STAFFING

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,481,694	$1,077,536 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,072,396	$ 1,111,201 over FY26

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FY27 Budget Recommendation Summary
	FY26 Revised Budget	FY27 Proposed Budget	Notes
General Fund	$41,404,157	$42,656,547	$1,252,389 over FY26
Special Revenue	$3,557,037	$3,590,702	$33,665 over FY26
Total Budget	$44,961,195	$46,247,249	$ 1,286,054 over FY26

2.6 %

2.47 %

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ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Fiscal Variables

Health insurance
Evolving enrollment and class size patterns
Collective bargaining
Federal Grants
Special education services and programs
Final State aid levels
Fee based services - bussing, pre-school and athletics
School choice and METCO

Potential Strategic Investments

Investments in continuum of supports articulated in the MTSS framework
Fully funding athletics
Career and professional development for paraprofessionals
Fully funding curriculum renewal and curriculum supplies
Instructional coaching – regular and special education
Onboarding new staff
Substitute teaching

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BUDGET CALENDAR

December1: Joint Select Board / School Committee meeting
January 28: Governor’s Budget Released
February 3: Initial Budget Recommendation –revised recommendation
February 10: School Committee Public Hearing
February 24: School Committee final deliberation and vote
March 9: SC presents budget to SB
March 23: Town Manager presents FY 27 budget to Select Board
April 6: Select Board Votes FY 27 Town Budget
April – June: MA House and Senate budget and deliberation
May 12: Annual Town Meeting
June – July: House and Senate reconciliation and final state budget

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QUESTIONS?