No layoffs in Taunton schools while other districts have deficits. How'd they do it?

TAUNTON — "Restrained spending" to sustain current staffing levels will be a focus for Taunton Public Schools next school year, according to Superintendent John Cabral.

Cabral said much of the district’s positive standing is due to following a strict saving and spending plan for the last several years — including spending little from reserves and using federal COVID funds for many one-time expenses and infrastructural projects.

"We are not reducing staff," Cabral told the Taunton School Committee's Administration and Budget Subcommittee at an April 3 meeting on the budget for the upcoming school year, which is fiscal year 2025 and begins on July 1.

That's the good news.

The bad news is he doesn't anticipate any new hires or "new growth" for departments in the coming school year either.

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Cabral said the problem is the increase in state aid, known as Chapter 70 money, is not keeping up with inflation.

That's despite a projected increase in enrollment in Taunton by 160 students, bringing the total to 8,235 students, next school year, which leads to an increase in Chapter 70 aid, because the money follows the students.

"The formula has not kept up with inflation," Cabral said.

The school district will be receiving nearly $95 million in Chapter 70 money in FY25, a 6.75% increase over this year's nearly $90 million. That's a much smaller increase than the district got this year, when state aid shot up by 13% over last year. Much of that increase, Cabral said, was due to the state's Student Opportunity Act, which gives more money to school districts where students have the greatest needs.

Cabral proposed a FY25 operating budget of around $120 million, a 5% increase over this year's budget of $114 million.

With this number, the city's contribution would be $25.7 million, while the rest will be made up by state aid.

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Mayor Shaunna O'Connell called the preliminary budget proposal "a balanced and responsible budget at a time where we are seeing other districts with significant deficits."

The budget numbers still have several workshops and school committee presentations to go through. Cabral said there is also a possibility Chapter 70 could increase during the state's budgeting process before the City Council has to vote to approve the school district's budget in June.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: No layoffs in Taunton schools despite inflation, inadequate state aid