Norwood School Committee Backs FY27 Budget, Votes to Support Three Town Meeting Warrant Articles

NORWOOD — March 4, 2026 — Norwood School Committee advances a $1.9 million FY27 budget increase and votes 4-0 to support three Town Meeting warrant articles. Assistant Superintendent Sean Manning told the committee Wednesday that the superintendent's proposed budget holds at a 2.96 percent increase — level services, plus one net full-time employee — driven primarily by a collective bargaining salary increase of 4.3 percent offset by roughly $1.1 million in expected savings as three to five high-cost residential special education placements age out. The Budget Balancing Committee voted Monday to recommend appropriating $7,368,224 in free cash to balance the town's combined FY27 budget, a figure the committee noted is lower than last year's free cash draw. Key budget additions include a 17th school bus at $92,000, two new Pathways Program teachers at the high school, and the elimination of the director of English Language Education position, saving $135,000. The three warrant articles cover: a MassHealth Medicaid reimbursement request of between $300,000 and $350,000 (amount delegated to the Budget Subcommittee pending Finance Commission input), a $49,450 Community Preservation Committee playground study, and a town-wide facilities study at an amount still to be determined. A public budget hearing is set for March 18 and a full committee vote for March 25.