Lawrence Public Schools trustees approved an amended school-year 2026 budget totaling $305,026,144 and ratified labor memoranda of understanding after staff outlined adjustments to state aid and municipal charges.

The action cleared at the district’s regular meeting after Chief Financial Officer Jason Cabrera described updates to the district’s revenue assumptions, including a decrease to charter tuition projections and an increase in municipal-related costs tied to an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding.

Board approval matters because the amended budget sets spending priorities for next year and reflects recent state and city funding updates.

Cabrera told the board the district’s prior proposal used the governor’s budget for some line items and that an updated cherry sheet from the state reduced the charter-tuition estimate by $1,856,886. He said a calculation tied to the city MOU increased municipal-related costs by about $1,100,000.0485707 and that the district made offsetting reductions, including a $966,000 cut to extra‑duty lines and about $1,034,000 in transportation adjustments, yielding the $305,026,144 total. Cabrera said the district also counted a $350,000 lease commitment from the city that meets the city’s stated minimum contribution.

Board members pressed for transparency on the municipal charges. Board Chair Patricia Mariano and other members said they want a line‑by‑line reconciliation of the 2013 MOU calculation that the district currently uses. Cabrera displayed a slide listing city-side expense categories that feed the formula and said the district will engage auditors to reconcile the charges and to prepare itemized calculations for next year’s negotiations.

Superintendent remarks and questions from trustees underlined a separate state review: the district reported receiving updated Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) correspondence that flagged approximately a $7 million gap in net‑school‑spending accounting over recent years; district leaders said that review and reconciliations factor into upcoming talks with the city.

The board also approved two memoranda of understanding earlier in the meeting: one between LPS and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 888, and one listed on the agenda as between LPS and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (32BJ/SEIU) covering cafeteria staff. (Motions and roll-call votes are recorded below.)

Cabrera said the district trimmed proposed initiatives substantially from the initial “dream” budget and that the amended plan preserves staff positions (no layoffs), classroom materials, and professional services. He and Superintendent Ralph Guerrero emphasized that the budget is “tight” and that transportation remains the most significant implementation risk; the administration said negotiations produced a multi‑year bus contract approach that reduces an initial 10% vendor request to approximately 2% per year under the draft agreement.

The board voted to adopt the amended appropriation after discussion; trustees said they will press the city for a more transparent, updated MOU calculation ahead of next year’s budget process.

The vote and next steps complete the board’s fiscal action for the meeting but leave open ongoing negotiations with the city and reconciliation work with auditors and DESE.