Medford School Committee proposes roughly $4.5 million FY26 budget increase, flags staffing and maintenance needs

Gerald McHugh, the district's budget analyst, told the Medford School Committee on March 20 that the school department is proposing a draft fiscal year 2026 budget that would increase spending by about $4,500,000, or 5.5% over FY25.

McHugh said the request reflects several categories of unavoidable changes, including contract step increases, adjustments to special-education transportation and tuition, and funding shifts for software and food-service rules. "We are not contemplating any across the board staffing cuts that were necessary to balance the FY25 budget," McHugh said, adding the district is "planning as if we're going to receive the grants we have this year, next year," while closely monitoring federal grant status and awaiting DESE guidance.

The budget presentation detailed line-item changes and new requests. Notable proposed increases and adjustments include: an athletic budget increase of $32,500 to account for current team activity and contracted services; funding for three 1-on-1 paraprofessionals required by students' IEPs; moving lunch monitor positions from the lunch fund to the general fund to meet food-service regulations; and adding costs for two instructional software products…