Hingham School Committee approves preschool fee hikes, elects building committee leaders

HINGHAM -- October 27, 2025, Hingham School Committee votes to raise integrated preschool and Kids in Action fees up to 8 percent for the 2026-27 school year. The committee voted unanimously Monday to approve tuition increases across all preschool and extended-day program tiers, bringing the half-day integrated preschool rate to $6,912 annually, still below the community average of $7,625, while extended-day programs will rise to roughly $19,000 against a local average of $21,000. Assistant Superintendent Erica Pard reported that 76 percent of Hingham students in grades three through eight met or exceeded MCAS expectations in ELA, ranking first among 11 benchmark districts against a state average of 42 percent, though a ballot-driven 6 percent drop in tenth-grade scores prompted the committee to discuss how to motivate high schoolers who no longer need the test for graduation. The committee also elected Angela Fadinga as chair and James Cahill as vice chair of the newly formed 2025 School Building Committee, and approved year two of Hingham Middle School's improvement plan after Principal Derek Smith reported chronic absenteeism had fallen from 9 percent to below the district's 7 percent goal.