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Salem officials propose $81.8 million FY27 budget, citing enrollment growth and targeted reductions
Summary
Interim superintendent and budget lead presented a $81,755,368 FY27 proposal that keeps 78% for personnel, proposes 31.8 position reductions (netting 13.8 likely to remain), adds targeted classroom positions and leans on grant and circuit-breaker revenue to balance the plan.
Salem Public Schools leaders on April 6 presented a proposed $81,755,368 fiscal year 2027 budget that they said balances rising costs with a focus on preserving student-facing services.
"Our initial proposal totals $81,755,368," said Polly, the district presentation lead, calling out that roughly 78% of the plan is dedicated to personnel and the remaining 22% to non-personnel expenses. Polly added the total supports roughly 878 employees.
The proposal reflects both position reductions and selective additions. "This proposal includes the reduction of 31.8 positions," Polly said, adding that most reductions (about 60%) stem from the merger of two elementary schools. The presentation also proposes four new positions for FY27 and noted that 14 positions were added in FY26.
Officials stressed the proposal aims to protect classroom supports while addressing cost drivers. Polly said the budget reflects earlier investments and updated assumptions that narrowed an initially projected gap of about $4.5 million. She pointed to enrollment increases (the district’s October 1 count was 3,899) and said those gains contributed state Chapter 70 aid and helped planning.
The budget narrative lists key cost pressures: electricity, out-of-district special-education tuition and regular transportation. Polly said electricity is budgeted at about $1.7 million for FY27 (a roughly 5% increase from FY24) and credited recent HVAC and energy work — a partnership with the city — for tempering last year’s larger spike.
Revenue offsets and reuse of one-time flows are part of the plan. Polly said the district expects about $32 million from Chapter 70 and more than $48 million from the city’s local contribution. The proposal assumes using $3.8 million in circuit-breaker reimbursements and $768,000 in school-choice revenue; it also plans a $500,000 prepayment of special-education tuition as a timing offset.
Committee members pressed for detail. Member Cornell asked for a breakdown of electricity costs by school and reminded colleagues that city-side health insurance and capital-debt payments sit outside the general-fund appropriation. Member Miranda requested per-pupil spending breakdowns and more clarity on how each school’s budget is determined; Polly offered to provide the per-pupil figures as a follow-up.
Labor and staffing concerns surfaced during public comment. Tracy Kapantis, president of AFSCME Local 294, urged that the FY27 budget include custodial staff (including a senior custodian), a head cook and food-service workers for New Liberty and Salem Prep, and a school-year clerk for Collins Middle School. "The school currently has approximately 750 students and one front desk clerk to handle all clerical matters," Kapantis said.
Polly and the interim superintendent said the district is trying to minimize student-facing reductions and to maximize grant funding where feasible; they said several positions will be shifted onto grants and some work will be redistributed to central office and school-based staff.
Next steps: the district will hold a public budget hearing on April 13 at 6 p.m., and the school committee is scheduled to take a final vote on the FY27 budget on Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m.
