Danvers School Committee approves FY26 proposed budget, forwards plan to select board

The Danvers Public Schools School Committee approved a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at a special budget hearing and voted to forward the proposal to the town select board for review.

Committee members said the budget is intended to provide “level service” for students and staff while continuing targeted improvements in special education programming and transportation. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the district’s reliance on grant funding and one-time offsets to limit the request to a 3.8% increase over the current year, which the committee described as roughly a $1,975,633 increase.

The proposal’s central priorities are sustaining special education services (including autistic-strand and therapeutic and language-based programming), flattening transportation cost growth, and preserving recently added positions funded in part by prior town support. Presenters said the budget was built through a year-long, collaborative process involving principals, directors, central administration and the district’s curriculum and student services teams.

Mary (interim superintendent) and the district’s budget presenter, identified in the hearing as Mr. Bauer, told the committee that the district secured…