WOLCOTT – Area residents have yet another chance to discuss the proposed FY26 school district budget at a public information meeting, June 4, at 6 p.m., before a June 11 Australian Ballot vote. That will be the third school budget snce town meeting day when residents voted down the first proposed FY26 budget.
The second school budget vote, Tuesday, April 28, failed with 150 no votes and 140 voting yes on the $6.14 million budget.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
The third proposed FY26 budget, at $6,104,496.99, cuts another $37,524.55 by eliminating $3,000 from the library budget for books and the 0.4 time position of a technology integralionist employed to help teachers make the best use of the technology available to them.
Per pupil education spending of $13,381.30 is down from the $13,466.02 rejected by voters in the April 29 vote. It’s a 19.36% increase from the current year.
Wolcott has little control over much of its school budget as large portions of it come from the schools to which middle and high schoolers are tuitioned and the local contribution to the supervisory union budget. The FY26 OSSU budget of $1.6 million allocated to Wolcott is a 37% increase of $432k for the FY26 year.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
The Wolcott School Board anticipated that increase in their budgeting and cut elsewhere to keep the overall increase to $410k in the initial budget rejected in March.
Wolcott School Board Chair Elliot Waring said significant cuts were made in that budget, which reduced overall spending for the elementary school despite increased costs. He said the budgeting process has reached the point of diminishing returns and is already impacting areas that will have an affect on student outcomes.
The informational meeting will precede the June 11 Australian ballot, at the Wolcott Town Offices. The polls will be open from 8 a.m., to 7 p.m. that day.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
