Cohasset Schools Propose $1.3 Million in Cuts as FY27 Budget Gap Widens

School Committee · Meeting of February 25, 2026

Cohasset schools face nearly $1.3 million budget gap, with staff cuts proposed across all grade levels. Superintendent Dr. Sarah Shannon presented the School Committee Wednesday with an itemized list of proposed reductions that would bring the district's FY27 level-service budget increase request down from 11.88 percent to 8.82 percent against a confirmed town allocation of just 3.62 percent, or $898,905, leaving the gap intact.

Proposed cuts include eliminating a central office position, a school front office assistant, an ELA and a math position at Cohasset Middle School — which would push average class sizes there from 14-15 students to 21-22 — plus reductions in high school world language, art, math, and social studies staffing. Committee member Craig McClellan, declining to accept the reductions without a fight, announced he would independently solicit community donations to reduce the number of positions cut. "I am literally going to have t-shirts made and go to the dump and ask people to give money," McClellan said, while Corey Evans offered to help structure the effort through the town manager and treasurer-collector.

A formal budget vote is set for March 25, with the town's annual town meeting on May 1.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of February 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.