Beverly public commenters say FY26 budget cuts to special education and paraprofessionals will harm students

Beverly — Dozens of teachers, paraprofessionals, parents and other staff told the Beverly School Committee on May 14 that proposed reductions to special-education positions and paraprofessional staffing in the FY26 draft budget would damage services for students with disabilities and create safety risks in preschool and kindergarten classrooms.

The public hearing on the proposed FY26 school budget drew more than two dozen in-person speakers and dozens of written comments. Sarah Vozzo, a district speech-language pathologist, said the proposed elimination of a special-education teacher at Hannah Elementary “is not just a staffing adjustment. It's a reduction in core instructional services for students who rely on specialized instruction to make meaningful progress.”

The budget presentation by district staff said the FY26 appropriated budget would be $85,372,614 — a 9.08% increase over FY25 — with the district requesting a city contribution of $69,698,119. Superintendent remarks and slides noted that 83% of the appropriated budget is wages and benefits and that additional revenue is limited by Proposition 2½.

Why it matters: commenters and union representatives said the proposed reductions would be concentrated in student-facing roles that directly support learning, behavior and safety. Cassie Ruel,…