Old Colony presents 4.8 percent budget increase, $410,000 assessment hike to Acushnet FinCom

ACUSHNET -- March 20, 2026, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School is seeking a 4.8 percent budget increase for FY27, translating to a $410,000 assessment increase for Acushnet. Superintendent Aaron Jolansky and Business Manager Sarah Griffith briefed the Acushnet Finance Committee at an informational session Thursday, presenting a level-service spending plan that attributes 1.1 percent of the increase to health insurance, projected to rise 9.45 percent for active employees and 12.9 percent for retirees, and 2.26 percent to instructional salary increases. Acushnet's state-mandated minimum local contribution grew by $297,725, and enrollment for FY27 is projected at 207 students, up 13 from the current year. Jolansky noted the school's 12-bus transportation contract with First Student is in its final year and will go out to bid. The meeting also featured an extended discussion of the state's new lottery-based admissions system, through which 43 of 98 Acushnet applicants were accepted for FY27, a 44 percent acceptance rate, with Jolansky saying he "struggles" with a process that gives families "zero control."