Sandwich Schools Propose $42 Million FY27 Budget With 2.22 Percent Increase

SANDWICH — January 7, 2026 — Sandwich School Committee reviews $42 million FY27 budget proposal amid health insurance pressures. Superintendent Dr. Chris Maruszyk presented the proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget of $42,046,131 — a 2.22 percent increase over the current year — at the committee's January 7 meeting, describing it as a conservative, level-services plan shaped by a projected 15 percent spike in health insurance costs. The local contribution would rise 2.76 percent to $33,982,155, with Chapter 70 aid held flat at $8,063,976. Salary increases across all bargaining units total $1,021,170, while special education out-of-district tuitions grow by approximately $214,000 due to two additional placements. A completed transportation efficiency study recommends consolidating at least two bus routes, producing savings that help offset utility increases of $158,000. The committee also heard that the Community Preservation Committee unanimously approved the district's application to fund tennis court replacement at the middle-high school, with Select Board and town meeting votes still required. A public hearing on the FY27 budget is scheduled for January 28.