School Budget Short by Half Million

School Committee members hope to reach out to selectmen and the town administrator to discuss a FY 13 budget shortfall of more than $500,000.

The district remains $522,000 short of the Town Administrator’s recommended budget of $1,403,000, Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings said last night at the School Committee meeting held at

The current budget figure of $1,920,000 has already gone through two rounds of reductions. Under this current budget, 12 existing positions would be cut.

Cutting an additional half-million would require further personnel cuts, added class sizes or potential elimination of existing programs, such as foreign language or allied arts, Cummings said.

This year’s budget is driven by several factors, Cummings said, including the addition of the new high school this fall, the subsequent addition of a school and the end of stimulus funding.

Committee members noted that these factors, particularly the opening of the new Grafton High School, were unprecedented.

They said they hoped that, in working with town officials, a solution could be found.