Budget season is beginning and it’s not looking good. On Tuesday 12/9/25 at 6:30pm the Regional School Committee will see a draft version of the FY27. The draft presentation of the budget can be found here and it looks pretty grim. These are preliminary numbers but the cost of providing level services (the same programs and services as this year) seems to be significantly higher than any of the four towns are likely willing (and probably able) to spend, so we would expect discussions of significant cuts. This is just a first look at the budget, and no action will be taken at this time. The meeting will be streamed via Amherst Media and the recording available afterwards. The draft budget does not include a proposed cuts list at this time, and is just a preliminary projected financial landscape.
The Elementary Schools draft budget will be discussed at the 12/16 Amherst School Committee meeting but that draft is not yet available.
Amherst’s Finance Committee has drafted their financial guidelines for FY27 and Town Council will discuss vote on these on Monday 12/8 at the Town Council meeting at 6:30pm. Meeting link here. Amherst’s financial guidelines call for a 3.5% increase across the board (for town, library, elementary and region). The guidelines do not currently include the $269,704 in free cash that the elementary schools got last year, in the base for calculating a 3.5% increase for next year, so that is problematic. As a reminder, the Elementary schools got a 4% increase and then another 1% from free cash, with the assumption that once the Elementary consolidation happened, costs would decrease. It is important to note that it was Town Councilors who have insisted on this narrative, and Dr. Xi and School Committee members have repeatedly cautioned that they do not think there will be significant savings. As far as the Region goes, even if Amherst increased its percentage, the other three towns would also have to increase and it’s not entirely clear that they are able to do that.
If you would like to make a public comment asking the Town Council to reconsider the Financial Guidelines, you can do so in-person, via Zoom or in writing. We should be asking that the Council not insist on equal percentage increases, and instead consider the situation that the schools are in, as well as the essential role that our public schools play. Even if the Town Council passes these guidelines tonight, they can always revisit them when the new Council is seated in January.
And, if you have not yet submitted written comment to the state asking that the funding formulas be fixed so that our schools can get more aid, you can still submit at C70PublicComment@mass.gov.