Sudbury schools added 12 unbudgeted positions, citing student mental health needs

SUDBURY — December 6, 2022 — Sudbury schools flag 12-plus unbudgeted hires and a $300,000 utility spike heading into fiscal 2024. Superintendent Brad Crozier and Assistant Superintendent Don Sawyer told the Finance Committee on Tuesday the district added 12.19 FTEs after budget adoption — mostly behavior analysts, counselors and special educators — funded through turnover savings, ARPA and ESSER grants, and circuit breaker reimbursements. ARPA is paying $210,000 each year for 2.6 FTEs; ESSER 2 and 3 cover another 4.4 FTEs. Out-of-district tuition is running about $200,000 over budget, tracking a forecast $203,000 gap to be absorbed by circuit breaker, while the planning target for fiscal 2024 prepays drops to $492,000. School Committee Chair Sylvia said student needs are "real and critical and in front of us," adding the district can't yet say how it will sustain the positions. Enrollment came in at 2,535, above the budgeted 2,514.