At its Jan. 29 meeting the Marblehead School Committee approved the 2026–27 school calendar, endorsed revisions to the Program of Studies (including a new AP Business with Personal Finance option and SNHU dual‑enrollment pilot), authorized an overnight DECA trip, approved several personnel and governance policy updates, and set a public budget hearing for next week.
Budget subcommittee members said they reduced earlier requests to present a level‑funded budget to the full school committee; the committee confirmed a public hearing on the proposed budget will be held at next week’s meeting to gather community feedback.
Committee approved Program of Studies changes that add AP Business with Personal Finance, clarify financial‑literacy competency options, phase out some legacy courses (including Latin 1–4 except AP Latin), and formalize dual‑enrollment language for a pilot with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
Superintendent's team outlined a FY27 level-service package that produces a $806,000 gap after applying one-year offsets; the administration proposed using revolving funds, reallocating grant administrative costs, and identifying five positions and other reductions to limit classroom impacts. A public budget hearing is set for Feb. 26.
School leaders reviewed which stipends are contractually required and which extracurricular costs are covered by fees and boosters, and warned that sustained level funding into FY28 could force review of user fees and cocurricular supports. The committee asked for appendices and schedules to be included in the budget book.
The subcommittee corrected and approved minutes from Jan. 5 (vote recorded 2-0) and later adopted the motion to adjourn (vote recorded 2-0). No votes on the budget were taken at this meeting.
The committee voted 3 1 to approve the recommended 2026 27 user-fee and tuition schedule, including small percentage increases across athletic, music and transportation fees; one member dissented, citing concerns that kindergarten fees unfairly shift costs to families.
District administrators told the school committee budget subcommittee on Jan. 5 that FY27 level‑funding would leave a roughly $1.7 million gap before offsets and about $878,000–$900,000 after proposed revolving fund and grant offsets; officials described staffing reallocations, reserve strategies and a timeline to present a proposed budget to the full committee on Feb. 5, 2026.
District student‑services staff told the committee a DESE audit tied to circuit‑breaker funding concluded the district is owed funds (pending statewide audit completion); the briefing also noted increases in restraint‑trained staff, program expansions (language‑based, therapeutic, ABA), and concerns about chronic absenteeism among students with disabilities.
The school committee approved five third‑reading policies on facility access, food‑service modifications, civil‑rights complaint procedures, technology security, and records retention; it also approved a competency‑determination policy required by DESE after debate and a 3–1 vote.
