Marlborough School Committee Approves $76.6 Million FY25 Budget Over Mayor's Request

MARLBOROUGH -- April 9, 2024, Marlborough School Committee voted 6-0 to approve a $76,616,990 fiscal year 2025 operating budget, exceeding Superintendent Maureen Murphy's original $76,252,690 proposal by roughly $364,300. Committee member Katherine Hennessey moved the higher figure, citing the district's growing English learner population and site-visit data on needs at Whitcomb Middle School and Marlborough High School; the addition funds a METIS elective teacher, two full-time equivalent social-emotional learning coordinators, and two full-time equivalent EL coordinators that Murphy's proposal had deferred. Mayor Mary Christian Dumas, who chairs the committee, abstained from all budget votes, noting her role in presenting the citywide budget to the City Council, expected by May 2. The committee also heard that the district is $716,548 over its $235,000 budget for McKinney-Vento and foster care transportation costs, and formally requested that state reimbursements for those mandated expenses be routed into a district revolving account rather than the city's general fund free cash.