Beverly officials warn federal tax-law changes could hit state aid; district launches budget survey, listening sessions

Beverly Public Schools leaders told the Committee of the Whole on Oct. 22 that recent federal tax-law changes could reduce state revenue and create downstream pressure on school funding, and they urged the community to participate in upcoming listening sessions and a district budget survey to help prioritize limited resources.

Why it matters: State education funding is closely tied to overall state revenue. District officials said early indicators suggest Massachusetts could face hundreds of millions of dollars in reduced tax collections tied to a July 2025 federal tax-law change, a shift that could affect Chapter 70 distributions and federal entitlement grants that districts rely on.

What officials said - Potential state revenue impact: Superintendent Peter Cushing summarized analyses circulated to state leaders indicating the federal changes could reduce fiscal 2026 state tax collections by an estimated $650 million; district staff called the figure a reason for caution while statewide numbers and DESE guidance remain uncertain.

- Medicaid/school-based…