Milton school officials are grappling with a $1,049,000 budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2027, a deficit driven by a significant shift in the town’s funding formula. Superintendent John Failen informed the School Committee on Wednesday that the district must now transition from a historical average of 5.2% annual growth to a strict 3% cap mandated by the town. To address the gap while preserving student-facing roles, the district plans to implement a bus fee increase to support the addition of a new vehicle and will extend the timeline for rebuilding its special education reserves from three years to four.

Superintendent Failen emphasized the need to move away from the unsustainable use of one-time funds, noting that the district began this year with a mere $8,000 in its special education circuit breaker account—a fund that should ideally hold over $3 million. We are trying to move away from using one-time money, which compromised our budgets in FY24 and FY25, Failen said, explaining that the revenue projections now lag significantly behind expenses. Assistant Superintendent Katie Blake added that the reserve fund is intended to offset those fluctuations so they don't impact general education expenses in the operating budget.

The revised budget proposal restores several positions previously targeted for elimination, including the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) to a full-time role, two Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), and a middle school special education teacher. However, other reductions remain on the table, including the conversion of the Director of Nursing to a lead teacher model and the elimination of a Director of Fine and Performing Arts in favor of a stipend-based leadership structure. One 504 coordinator and an out-of-district coordinator are also slated for reduction.

The decision to stretch the reserve replenishment sparked questions from committee members. Nathan David Hutto inquired if rising costs would eventually force the plan to expand even further. Just to clarify on the circuit breaker, the dollar amount change is about $400,000, Hutto noted, asking, will cost escalations eventually turn this into a five-year plan? Member Annamma Varghese expressed similar concerns regarding the volatility of the budget, asking, Will this method help if special education and transportation costs increase significantly over the next four years?

Member Elizabeth Carroll voiced support for the Superintendent’s iterative approach to the cuts, particularly regarding the retention of diversity and human resources staffing. We have talked about systems for years but haven't seen them in practice. This capacity will allow for professional development and better recruitment, Carroll said. Mark Loring echoed the importance of the DEIB office, stating, Dismantling structural racism is the responsibility of everyone, not just one person. Reducing capacity there didn't feel right. Regarding the fine arts changes, Loring added that if we can provide that through a stipend and keep the dollars close to the kids, I think that follows our philosophy.

Public comment reflected deep community anxiety over the proposed cuts. Resident Ian Mariple acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, noting that staffing 75 positions with one-time funds was unsustainable and that cuts were necessary to avoid another override attempt. However, Chris Naven, co-founder of Citizens for Diverse Milton, argued that now is not the time to cut the DEIB office or data analytics, citing persistent gaps in graduation readiness. Former school nurse Camille Sonaria Cooper spoke against losing the Director of Nursing, arguing that a stipend role does not replace a district-level administrative role responsible for regulatory compliance and student safety. Former committee member Beverly Rost Denny challenged the logic of prioritizing reserves over staff, stating that the budget is a strategic plan and building reserves should not come at the expense of staff. Former DEIB coach Adita Shear recommended the district revisit its 2021 equity audit to focus on accountability and evaluation.

Chair Amanda Serio also emphasized the need for stable DEIB leadership to address long-standing issues. Regarding the DEIB role, we need structure and support so the person in that role can be successful, Serio said. If we continue doing it the way we have, we will keep floundering. We need to focus on achievement and opportunity gaps. Later in the meeting, Serio announced her own departure from the board, confirming her resignation effective April 29th for personal reasons. The Select Board has already voted to include the remaining one year of her term on the upcoming ballot.

The committee also focused on student access to advanced coursework during a review of the high school curriculum. Member Loring questioned if teacher recommendation requirements act as a barrier for students of color, prompting a commitment from the administration to further explore enrollment data. Student representative Elias Carris noted that while the math and science teams are winning awards, the high school's sweetheart dance was recently postponed due to a lack of interest. Following the discussion, Motion Made by E. Carroll to approve the Milton High School 2026-2027 program of studies. The Motion Passed (6-0-0), with Member B. Qiu providing the second. The committee also moved to formalize past records as a Motion Made by E. Carroll to approve the minutes from our meeting on February 4th, 2026 also Passed (6-0-0).