School Committee faces $1.96M budget gap for FY27, seeks sustainable long-term plan.
School Committee confronts $1.96 million budget gap for fiscal year 2027. Superintendent Dr. Sarah Shannon presented projections showing that even with a 4 percent increase in town funding — approximately $993,233 — the district faces a level-service deficit driven primarily by contractual salary
School Committee · Meeting of February 4, 2026
COHASSET — School Committee confronts $1.96 million budget gap for fiscal year 2027. Superintendent Dr. Sarah Shannon presented projections showing that even with a 4 percent increase in town funding — approximately $993,233 — the district faces a level-service deficit driven primarily by contractual salary obligations, rising special education tuition, and transportation costs.
Approximately 80 percent of district expenditures are personnel-related. Committee members, including Chair Jennifer Lesky and members Lance Dial and Corey Evans, emphasized the urgency of developing a comprehensive multi-year fiscal plan and broad community engagement before advancing any operational override proposal to voters, cautioning against emergency framing or premature action that could undermine long-term trust.
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Source: the School Committee meeting of February 4, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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