Committee presses town on override funding split

School Committee · Meeting of March 10, 2026

Grafton School Committee presses town over an override revenue split that could shortchange schools by nearly $300,000. Superintendent Dr. Cummings warned that failing to pass an override "will lead to us having a dysfunctional school," citing Grafton's ranking in the fourth percentile statewide for per-pupil spending despite scoring at or above state averages on performance.

Committee member Kristy Kielbasinski said a town-proposed 60-40 revenue split would net schools about $660,000 against a needed $950,000, after the town's overall deficit was revised to $1.1 million from $1.4 million on $250,000 in health insurance savings. The committee also reviewed a roughly $1 million fiscal 2027 capital plan, including $750,000 for a 14-year-old turf field, and approved two sets of meeting minutes unanimously. Clerk Rebecca Soco said accepting cuts without an override is "a choice that we are making."

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Source: the School Committee meeting of March 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.