Barrington School officials are proposing a $3.1 million increase for the proposed school budget. 

The $3.1 million bump, if approved by voters at this year’s Financial Town Meeting, will push the school department’s total budget to nearly $66 million.

The $3.1 million increase would have been larger, but officials recently reduced it by more than $1.1 million.

The reductions — Barrington officials said the proposed budget will provide level services — are part of an effort to keep the budget increase at or under the 4 percent tax levy cap. 

Officials identified positions — some currently exist in the district and others were proposed — for elimination. Included in the list is an instructional writing coach (K-3), a math intervention specialist at the middle school, an instructional support tech, and a literacy coordinator at Hampden Meadows School. Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore said those positions are all geared toward student support. 

A significant portion of the $3.1 million proposed increase for the district is being fueled by additional special education costs, school officials said. 

A presentation shared at a recently School Committee meeting showed some of the budget increase drivers: special education staffing additions, contracted nursing services, tuition to private sources, and tuition to out of state education service agencies. Those four items represent an increase of $1.1 million.

School officials said the district is required to provide for those services. They also said that some of the cost increases are being experienced by school districts across the state. 

There is some good news for taxpayers, however. Officials said that the impact of the $250 million school construction bond will not be felt in the proposed budget. In fact, officials said they expect the first financial impacts of the bond in the summer of 2026.

By the numbers

Following is a summary of the proposed school budget:

• Current operating budget (with capital): $62,882,309

• Proposed operating budget (with capital): $65,984,820

• Proposed budget increase: $3,102,511

• Current local funding for budget (with capital): $51,811,037

• Proposed local funding for budget (with capital): $53,870,022

• Impact on tax levy: $2,058,985

• Percent increase on tax levy: 3.97 percent

• Maximum allowable local funding contribution: $53,883,478

• Proposed budget amount under cap: $13,457