West Bridgewater School Committee Delays Vote on $22.5 Million FY27 Budget

School Committee · Meeting of March 2, 2026

West Bridgewater School Committee defers vote on a $22.5 million FY27 budget requesting a $916,949 town appropriation increase. Superintendent Mark Bodwell and Business Manager Kara Grant presented the proposed 4.93 percent spending increase at the March 2 budget hearing, detailing roughly $3 million in school contributions — including $1.2 million in school choice revenue — that offset the gross operating budget. Committee member John Waller pressed the administration on a roughly 14 percent growth in full-time equivalent staffing since FY2021, stating he would "not support any budget that adds more staff without some data behind it." New spending proposals include a restored K-12 media specialist, a 0.5 floating nurse, and a reading specialist at the Howard School.

The committee also heard a capital plan update prioritizing sallyport entry systems at two schools lacking them — quoted at $99,000 for Roselle McDonald and $56,000 for Spring Street — along with intercom and lockdown upgrades estimated at $84,500 per building, following voters' rejection of a new elementary school project at town meeting.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of March 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.