February 6, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
Supt. of Schools Katie Roberts presented the proposed Fiscal 2026 $70.4 million school budget during a joint school committee, select board, and advisory committee meeting Tuesday night. Contractual salaries comprise 81 percent of that figure.
The updated presentation provided a revised list of proposed staff reductions — totaling 15.1 FTEs (full time equivalents), for a cost savings of $1.5 million. These include 5.2 elementary, 2.4 middle school, and 5 high school FTEs and 1 special education administration, 1 maintenance, and .5 central office FTEs, plus a proposed technology reduction of $96,800.
Following a lengthy presentation, Select Board Chair Joseph Fisher suggested continuing the meeting to a later date to allow ample opportunity for the board and others to make comments or ask questions.
The advisory committee will submit questions/comments about the budget to Roberts prior to their Feb. 13 meeting, when an updated presentation will be made.
Advisory Committee Chair Tina Sherwood asked a question of Roberts that was unrelated to the budget regarding whether — in light of overall decreasing enrollments and space available at the new Foster School — Plymouth River School was considered as a possible location for the proposed new Center for Active Living.
Redistricting ‘unlikely’
Roberts explained that in light of the expected uptick in elementary school enrollments over the next 10 years, redistricting — a question that has been on the minds of many parents — is “unlikely.”
She also cautioned that there is “a current movement toward universal pre-K, although not within the next year or two — something to take into consideration when looking at building usage.”
The international universal preschool movement supports the use of public funding to provide preschool education to all families.
Another reason that the PRS isn’t under consideration, Roberts said, “is that we just came off of a building project for which we accepted Massachusetts School Building Authority funds for windows and columns, and if PRS was to no longer be used as a school, we would have to refund that money to the state.”
As background, Hingham Public Schools enrollments decreased overall from 4,262 students in 2020 to 3,616 in 2025, with a K-5 enrollment increase of 35 students projected over the next three years and decreases expected at the middle and high school levels — 6 and 95 students respectively — for a net decrease of 66 students over 3 years (-1.8%), according to Roberts.
Enrollment increases expected in future
Over the next 10 years, Roberts explained, enrollment increases are expected at the K-5 (92 students) and middle school (63 students) levels and a decrease in high school enrollments of 168 students — for a net decrease of 13 students (-0.4%) over 10 years.
An enrollment update will be presented by Roberts at next Monday’s school committee meeting.
Key budget drivers are the continued need for specialized behavioral supports and other specialized services for special education students and an increase in out-of-district special education tuitions and services.
The number of special education students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for Fiscal 2025 is 696.
For Fiscal 2025, 56 out-of-district placements at all levels totals $6.02 million as of Feb. 3. The Fiscal 2026 projection is currently 56 students at a cost of $5.9 million.
The proposed Fiscal 2026 special education budget totals $23.9 million — not including state and federal grants that offset that figure. (See first link below for full details once Monday’s presentation is posted — including information related to the memorandum of understanding regarding school budget funding. This information is near the end of the presentation.)
HPS is exploring the possibility of creating a new program at Foster School for certain special education students, which would be expected to reduce the number placed in out-of-district programs. “We’re looking earnestly to serve any students we can within the district,” Roberts said, noting that some students would still require OOD placement to meet their specific needs. More details will be available at a later date.
Warrant articles proposed
In other school-related business, proposed warrant articles for the April 28 Town Meeting relate to replacement of the high school roof and turf field; school bus leases (including leases for electric school buses); Plymouth River and South School roof schematic designs, including potential solar installation; and school bus cameras (involving a school bus violation detection monitoring system to identify motor vehicle owners who fail to stop for a school bus when required by law).
Also under consideration is submission of a Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Accelerated Repair Program for the high school, Plymouth River, and South School roofs.
The following school budget-related meetings are scheduled:
- Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m. public school committee hearing, vote on budget;
- Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m., budget presentation to advisory committee;
- Feb. 25, 7 p.m. joint session with school committee, select board, advisory committee, and capital outlay to hear capital recommendations.
Check the town website calendar for further information.
For Fiscal 2026 budget details and the Jan. 13 proposed preliminary budget presentation, visit https://www.hinghamschools.org/page/budget-documents/.
For details of new/increased fees supported by the school committee Monday to help close the budget gap, go to https://www.hinghamanchor.com/school-committee-supports-bus-fee-and-increases-to-student-parking-and-athletic-fees/.
More information will be available leading up Town Meeting, which has the final say on both the town and school budgets and all warrant articles.
