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Superintendent presents draft FY26 budget; district requests $6.44 million from city, seeks further revenues
Summary
The Beverly School Committee received an FY26 draft budget update on April 9; the district is seeking roughly $6.44 million in additional city funding and outlined steps to narrow remaining gaps while preserving core programs.
The Beverly School Committee received an update on the district’s draft FY26 operating budget at its April 9 meeting. District leaders presented a 0‑based budget proposal that reflects higher wages and benefits, rising special‑education costs and transportation pressures; the draft includes a city contribution request of approximately $6.44 million (an 8.8% increase over the prior year) and a still‑unfilled revenue gap the district said it expects to cover through a combination of state aid movement, local revenues and internal adjustments.
Why it matters: Staffing and contractual costs remain the largest drivers of the budget. District leaders told the committee they intend to preserve core programs — including career pathways, fine arts and social‑emotional staffing — while looking for efficiencies and reassignments to limit classroom impact.
Key numbers and approach: District staff said an initial run of required increases exceeded $9 million before offsetting actions;…
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