March 28, 2024

Seekonk Schools Budget Increase

Posted

The Seekonk school department’s proposed 2021 budget is $29.5 million, a three percent increase over the current year’s budget. The public hearing on the budget was held on February 24.

Superintendent Rich Drolet told the school committee there would be a reduction in Chapter 70 funds from the state as well as a $100,000 increase for vocational schools.

Fixed costs include $796,000 for contractual salary increases, $402,000 for special education, and $157,000 for busing and transportation. Drolet said it was due to the elimination of bus fees and the addition of a full elementary bus route for Martin School students.

Drolet said reducing elementary school class sizes would be priority for the next school year. This is due to a lack of classroom space at Martin and Aitken schools. Drolet expects the completion of the Aitken School expansion project will solve that problem.

Drolet told the committee a projected growing enrollment at the elementary school level will require an increase in classroom teaching positions for the 2021-2022 school year.

“We will have to probably redistrict to send more students from Martin to Aitken once the addition is complete,” Drolet added.

The school committee will vote on the budget at their March 9 meeting. The complete budget can be viewed on the district’s web site: www.seekonkschools.org.

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