The Revere School Committee on June 17 adopted the fiscal 2026 school department budget, approving $131,567,036 in appropriation and announcing total net school spending of $159,415,532 for the coming year.

Superintendent Dr. Kelly presented the district's plan and recommended restoring several positions the committee had earlier suggested cutting, saying, "it's been a particularly contentious, budget season this year" and that "we hit a bit of a fiscal cliff." She told the committee the restorations — including a civics coach, adaptive physical education at the elementary level and four health aides — together cost about $387,000, and recommended offsetting those by trimming smaller, non-personnel accounts.

The nut graf: Committee members voted series-by-series to approve the appropriation after a public hearing that produced no speakers opposing the plan. The committee and superintendent said the package is intended to sustain services while the district uses the next 12 months to plan for longer-term adjustments to state aid and uncontrollable cost increases.

In discussion, Dr. Kelly said the district hoped not to "dip into those reserve funds this year," but noted the budget realities forced a limited draw. Mayor Keith, speaking during the budget debate, said the district would "only dip into the reserves for $1,700,000," a measure committee members said should help carry the district through anticipated fiscal pressures for several years.

To offset the added personnel costs, Dr. Kelly described a mix of smaller reductions: a proposed $10,000 cut to finance-office overtime, reductions in funding for the REL program by changing its funding structure, and reduced teacher-fellow positions that the administration will seek to replace with grant funding. She also said the newcomer summer program budget was trimmed from $33,000 to a smaller offering because "we also have not had the influx of students that we typically have at this point in the year."

Formal votes were taken by roll call and passed on each series of the budget: instructional services (salary and non-salary totals), other student services, operations and maintenance, benefits and insurance, capital investment and tuitions. One roll call on the instructional services series recorded a member abstaining from that series due to a "family matter." The committee then approved the overall appropriation, and the mayor and superintendent announced the net school spending figure for public information.

The school committee characterized the vote as part of a broader plan to stabilize services and use the next 12 months for earlier, collaborative budget planning. The superintendent said principals would work over the summer to refine staffing allocations tied to enrollment, and the district's finance staff will pursue grants and other non-recurring savings where possible.

The budget vote followed a Ways and Means subcommittee process earlier this month and an open public hearing held during the meeting; no members of the public spoke in opposition. Committee members said they would continue conversations with school leaders about enrollment-based staffing decisions and grant searches to replace temporarily reduced positions.

The committee recessed after the vote and continued its regular agenda, with the superintendent noting one item (competency-determination guidance) would be tabled until July after the state issues written instructions.

Ending: The committee's approval finalizes funding levels for FY26 but leaves several implementation steps ongoing: principals will redistribute health aides and evaluate teaching positions as enrollment data becomes final, and the administration will seek grant funding for reduced teacher-fellow roles and other offsets to personnel costs.