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SPENCER – During a joint meeting of the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen on February 4, the superintendent of Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School was among the presenters to speak about the district’s proposed FY26 budget.
Bay Path Superintendent Kyle Brenner outlined an approximate $30.3 million budget for assessments which includes $26.6 million for operational funds, $2.1 million for transportation and $1.5 million in debt service.
He said the required minimum contribution for its 10 member towns increased by $388,016 to $11, 613,795.
For Spencer, the total assessment is $1,389,883, which is an increase of $125,276 or 9.1% over last year.
That figure includes a transportation assessment of $51,375 and debt service amounting to $128,581.
Brenner said Bay Path has a student population of 1,236 students with 127 of those from Spencer over all four years.
In a freshman class of 330 students, Spencer has 27 kids attending, five more than last year.
The superintendent discussed factors impacting Bay Path’s overall budget, including the fact the district missed its net school spending requirements in FY24 totaling $660,595 and had to use $500,000 in excess and deficiency (E & D) funds to help reduce the shortfall.
He noted contractual wage increases for all employees are included in the FY26 budget, saying they are currently negotiating with para professionals and will be re-negotiating with teachers next year.
Health insurance costs have risen by 18%, which Brenner said is not uncommon.
“It is industry standard. I have seen some colleagues with percentage increases in the 20s,” Brenner said.
His plans for the school include adding a new diesel vocational program with two instructors, bring the total number of technical programs to 23.
The budget also contains funds for 10 part-time student summer positions to be paid at minimum wage. Brenner said the students would work on property and grounds maintenance as well as carpentry.
Other additions include a vocational instructional coach to help teachers with planning and implementation of programs and a health/dental vocational aide.
In answer to a question by FinCom chair Mary Braney, the superintendent said the district gets Title 1 and IDEA federal grants as well as other grants such as a two-year, Capital Skills Modernization Grant of $700,000.
Brenner explained 60% of spending must be done in the first year which was used for the diesel program equipment and lab setup.
Braney noted she wanted to point out financial support is coming from external sources as well as the towns.
In addition to Spencer, the other member schools are Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, North Brookfield, Oxford, Paxton, Rutland, Southbridge and Webster.