Braintree School Budget Could See $7.6 Million Cut Amid COVID-19

BRAINTREE, MA — The coronavirus pandemic forced the School Committee into a position where it may have to cut $7.6 million from the Braintree school district's budget.

Currently, the school budget sits at $73.2 million. Maintaining current school programs for another year would cost $75.79 million due to a $2.57 million increase in contractual pay raises.

But Mayor Charles Kokoros told both the School Committee and the Town Council last week a more conservative budget is needed because of revenue shortfalls brought on by the pandemic. Kokoros instructed town departments to present level service budgets that account for contractual pay raises and then cut the budget by 10 percent.

With the cut a potential reality, eliminating teaching positions is on the table, as is replacing retiring teachers with new hires at lower salaries, Superintendent Frank Hackett said last week during a presentation to the school's finance and operations subcommittee.

The presentation included eliminating five teachers at the elementary school level and another $375,000 in savings from replacing retiring teachers with new hires at lower salaries. Hackett said needed cuts will start outside the classroom first though. Areas like supplies and utilities will be considered first.

On Monday, School Committee member George Kokoros, who chairs the budget subcommittee, told the School Committee there will be several more subcommittee meetings before a budget is presented. Two of those are this week, one Tuesday and another Thursday.

"We will continue to work with the mayor and the office to update the numbers," George Kokoros said.

George Kokoros said a budget will be presented to the mayor by the end of April. He also said the School Committee will get to review the budget by early April.