Southborough School Committee Votes to Withdraw From Inter-District School Choice Program

SOUTHBOROUGH — April 8, 2026 — Southborough School Committee votes to exit state school choice program, citing an $18,911 per-student funding gap. The committee voted unanimously Wednesday to opt out of the Inter-District School Choice Program for 2026-2027, with the superintendent noting the state reimburses only $5,000 per student against a $23,911 per-pupil expenditure. The committee also unanimously approved a 3% preschool tuition increase — the first since FY22 — and adopted income-scaled financial assistance guidelines capping total aid at $10,000 annually. Members spent significant time on Saturday's Annual Town Meeting, where a Trottier Middle School roof replacement under Article 15 requires a two-thirds vote and a May 12 ballot majority; a 41% MSBA reimbursement lapses if either vote fails outside a 60-day window. The district's facility rental revolving account sits at its lowest balance in years after an $85,000 draw for Neary School roof engineering work, and a contract renewal recommendation for food services manager Witsons is expected at the May meeting.