BRAINTREE – The future of Braintree Public Schools hangs in the balance as Superintendent Jim Lee presented a $75.5 million budget to town councilors this week. This budget includes drastic measures that will be implemented if Mayor Erin Joyce’s $8 million permanent tax override does not pass.
In a desperate move, the school district has already handed out reduction-in-force letters to 91 staff members, with more cuts looming if the June 15 override vote fails. “The impact across every single level is dramatic,” Lee stated, highlighting potential reductions in school programs, increased class sizes, and redistricting at the elementary level.
If the override is successful, the school district would receive an additional $4 million for its budget, but 44 staff members would still lose their jobs. The proposed budget falls short of what the school committee supported in April, leaving the town’s Ways and Means Committee with the power to make further cuts but not increases.
Without the tax override, Braintree Public Schools face the elimination of essential programs such as elementary media programs, 5th-grade math lab, and reductions in support positions and special education. The potential loss of accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges looms large, with concerns about the long-term impact on students’ educational journey.
Lee emphasized the need to restore what would be lost in the proposed budget, highlighting the negative impact on students’ access to essential resources and support. The fate of Braintree Public Schools now rests on the outcome of the upcoming override vote, with the community anxiously awaiting the decision that will shape the future of education in the town.