Lincoln-Sudbury cuts one teaching FTE to meet 3.3% budget guidance

SUDBURY — February 6, 2023 — Lincoln-Sudbury trims one teaching FTE and taps $3.05M in reserves to hit Sudbury's 3.3% budget target. Superintendent Bella Wong told the Finance Committee on Feb. 6 that the fiscal 2024 plan absorbs a state-authorized 14 percent jump in out-of-district tuition by raising the circuit breaker offset from $3 million to $3.05 million, cutting 0.25 math, 0.5 science and 0.25 history positions, and lifting the health insurance assumption to nearly 8 percent after a Jan. 26 meeting with Harvard Pilgrim. Enrollment is projected at 1,483, and Sudbury's assessment share is 87.44 percent versus Lincoln's 12.56 percent. The district's new in-house autism program is projected to avoid roughly $632,000 in out-of-district costs next year, up from $104,000 this year. Capital requests were scaled back to $26,500 for stairwell design work, $236,000 for camera replacement and $62,732 for a new activities van, with booster groups covering part of the $82,732 total. Member Henry Sorett pressed on cameras, payroll and energy contracts, calling the security system "spying" and requesting backup documentation.