[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6186991,"mediaKeyId","5073207-02464cf4975ef92c36fa755fee988c7e","parentId",5073207,"title","School committee asks city council for $140,825 from special-education stabilization fund to staff two positions","audioSeconds",163,"startMs",3834000,"endMs",3997000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5073207-02464cf4975ef92c36fa755fee988c7e&start=3834&end=3997","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5073207-02464cf4975ef92c36fa755fee988c7e/thumbnail_3834000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6186991/Massachusetts/School-committee-asks-city-council-for-140825-from-special-education-stabilization-fund-to-staff-two-positions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186991-43d8cf0bf24f78964abf3a7977f430e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172565&Signature=KKLcu~6XOevmM3gazOuAkKlHVvhiWPFLSa-OMYlAFiViMdUuw0-hvtMElgtnQt1~0njkMDzBlQWuGLfnJuJJTJl-CaAjYdomBq4UAF0vjVWiyb-1kg6o-bN8f-TGqM9WN4w4ZZ1HC-dndgU1pHwebzZVnB0qvlJ2dVLJR0~yj9MTxFsmj-T1eEERPbaA9TeuP7PafPnaMmGIEdWNe1DU0gDa-eP-pRV1klljupdoUCDhbMDLDU347PHKEg-gNIy0bJ6G6awacPHMYxA~MqVOMpp4nw0Gxf-Vwc3NAWHkr0TMIn7HXazY0X-noLPlYXLHnYvjF-G7292Qv6Xfuo2I4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northampton City, MA","date","2025-06-25T21:57:20Z","article","At the conclusion of its June 25 special session, the Northampton School Committee voted to request the City Council approve an additional $140,825 from the Special Education Stabilization Fund to pay for two special-education positions.

Member Davis moved the request and Member Agna seconded. The motion passed by roll call; the clerk announced 10 in favor. During the meeting Member Stein asked where the two positions would be assigned; administration responded, “As stated before, it's Ryan Road and the high school.”

Superintendent Dr. Bonner had earlier explained that one position would be a transfer and one would be a new position and that final assignment may depend on qualifications and scheduling. The committee also discussed the relationship between this request and broader special-education programming changes scheduled to roll out in the fall.

The request to the City Council is a formal step: the committee noted that the committee itself must vote to request the transfer while the council must vote to appropriate the funds. The administration reported that the Medicaid reimbursement amount ($209,175) and a $166,000 Smith gift were named in the general fund order; the stabilization-fund request is separate and requires council action before the appropriation is executed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Meeting of the Northampton School Committee | June 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Northampton School Committee voted to request the city council approve a $140,825 transfer from the Special Education Stabilization Fund to support two positions to be deployed at Ryan Road and Northampton High School.","taxTitle","Northampton City, Hampshire County, Massachusetts","taxId",68541,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6186996,"Northampton School Committee approves $48.84 million FY26 budget, contingent on council action",3524,287000,3811000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5073207-02464cf4975ef92c36fa755fee988c7e&start=287&end=3811","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5073207-02464cf4975ef92c36fa755fee988c7e/thumbnail_287000.jpg","/articles/6186996/Massachusetts/Northampton-School-Committee-approves-4884-million-FY26-budget-contingent-on-council-action","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186996-775bbf4f715a33de3fb9b597cbac435f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172565&Signature=lfECAgRirv1LdIvInY8Do32oSU4BJvJP~euwD0gQgQ2DPa8XeIsybTOeWRX8HQdxmIFDg73kV2ldTN6zK5b1grUGeSYrJqKll43qKg3d992uZCDoShYkN2UQmSSBmwrHV3iBJjEJGRwli3gX9g3BCL8jb-mWhFSoz5OHmB5fTjd5c3TDVnfCiQ7PrQugHp8oWLCOqY8Aqk60Kh8mn8lkLHXRcnh3QkjJDzEZ6bgWDaxUChsmsc9fwP6q7Sj0o6BZeeYObac1Xuapx4-ucRz69wmOVir5~2cns9ZJjyrZzgnZMlFxxnkI-pTj-COJD0-PlSmTVhOFn7fzNfd8MGerkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Northampton School Committee on June 25 voted to approve the fiscal year 2026 school budget totaling $48,839,176, a motion the committee framed as approval of the budget submitted May 16 and amended June 18 and contingent on that budget taking effect on July 1, 2025.

The vote was called by Chair Mila Sherrer, who said the committee could act “according to the charter” after the council failed to act within the statutory window and that the committee’s vote must be clear that it is on the May 16 submission as amended June 18. The approved total combines the school committee’s preliminary budget of $44,011,006.95 and an “other funding” column of $4,827,004.81 shown in the packet, producing the $48,839,176 figure the committee approved.

Committee discussion focused on line-item details and program changes rather than the contingency. Member Stein pressed for more detail before voting, saying the committee had not received a full mapping of how service-delivery changes for special education would be implemented and warned the committee was “moving so quickly, with very little information.” Several members asked for clearer counts of budgeted positions and how percentage increases for nonunion staff lines were calculated.

Superintendent Dr. Bonner and school finance staff (identified in the meeting as Bobby) responded with line-item clarifications: the registrar position was increased from 28 to 30 hours, some pay-line increases reflect new hires or increased hours, the per-diem Title IX coordinator line was raised from about $11,000 to $30,000 based on prior usage, and crossing-guard pay increases were included. Dr. Bonner also said the $209,175 in Medicaid reimbursement is named in the general fund order and that the $166,000 Smith gift is similarly included in the order.

On the contentious topic of the district’s “sub separate” program changes for students with neurodivergent needs, Dr. Bonner said administration had reorganized existing staff rather than requested new permanent hires and that no individual student IEP would be changed without appropriate consultation. Stein and others urged that the committee receive a fuller report from Director Matt Holloway and recommended regular updates, including to the curriculum subcommittee, while Dr. Bonner said Holloway has been holding community focus groups and that an August update and the consultant’s findings will be provided.

Committee members and staff noted procedural consequences if the committee did not approve the budget: the district would operate under a one-twelfth continuing spending limit based on the prior year, which the finance staff said could constrain purchases, software renewals and some summer preparations and would be manageable short-term but risky entering the fall.

Member Ashley moved to approve the budget for FY26 in the amount of $48,839,176; Member Miller seconded. The motion carried by roll call (majority in favor; recorded tally announced during the meeting as 7 yes, 3 no).","At a June 25 special meeting the Northampton School Committee voted to approve the fiscal year 2026 school budget totaling $48,839,176 — the vote is contingent on the city council action and the budget taking effect July 1, 2025.","actionData","errors"]

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School committee asks city council for $140,825 from special-education stabilization fund to staff two positions

Northampton School Committee approves $48.84 million FY26 budget, contingent on council action