Regional school committee grapples with FY25 budget cuts, seeks town help
Board of Education · Meeting of March 12, 2024
Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee reviews FY25 budget cuts, directs superintendent to seek town funding. Interim Superintendent Douglas Slaughter presented the proposed budget with significant reductions, including cuts to world language programs, counselor positions, and prep-academy staffing that would raise class caps from 12 to 15 students. Principal Talib Sadiq expressed frustration with the towns' lack of education prioritization, citing unsafe building conditions.
Jennifer Shiao moved to extend the three-hour meeting and directed Slaughter to approach the four towns for one-time emergency funding to restore positions; she also proposed establishing a task force for a Proposition 2.5 override before the FY26 budget cycle. The committee voted 6-2 to extend and scheduled additional meetings following a Tuesday vote on the budget.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 270 words
Source: the Board of Education meeting of March 12, 2024, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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