Salem School Committee approves 2026-27 calendar, adopts enrollment targets

The Salem School Committee voted 6-0 on Jan. 26 to approve the 2026–27 district calendar with a committee amendment making Oct. 30 a half day for students and remote professional development for educators. The meeting, held by Zoom, also approved the superintendent'9s recommended enrollment targets for 2026–27.

Superintendent (name on file with the district) told the committee the proposed calendar would set staff start on Aug. 31, first student day for grades 1–8 on Sept. 3 (the Thursday before Labor Day) and first days for pre-K and kindergarten on Sept. 10. The superintendent said the change avoids the Sept. 1 primary and that innovation schools such as the merged Carlton/Saltonstall school and New Liberty may set their own student calendars and will return proposed calendars to the committee.

The committee adopted superintendent-recommended enrollment guidance designed to maintain socioeconomic integration. The district average for students qualifying as low-income is 57.1%; the committee set elementary targets at 50% low-income and 50% not low-income. The committee retained the long-standing 65% low-income / 35% non-low-income target for pre-K and kindergarten and maintained that Bentley School will remain exempt from a kindergarten income target because of its dual-bucket bilingual enrollment model.

Member Albert Cornell, who moved both motions, said the targets reflect the district'9s long-term goal of balanced, diverse schools. Member Miranda and other committee members pressed staff for data on newcomer enrollment and transportation barriers that affect pre-K participation. Deputy Superintendent Carboni said a key barrier to pre-K enrollment among lower-income families is lack of district-provided transportation and noted the district partners with outside providers to offer expanded-day options.

The votes were procedural roll calls. Chair (Mayor) called each vote; the calendar motion carried 6-0 and the enrollment-targets motion carried 6-0. The calendar vote was presented as the first of the evening actions; staff said they will circulate the final approved calendar and the district will post school-specific calendars once innovation-school proposals are returned.

Next steps: The district will confirm innovation schools'9 proposed student calendars when those schools submit them, and staff said they will provide committee members with the enrollment-target data underpinning the recommendations.