School Committee backs $56.8 million strong budget

School Committee · Meeting of April 9, 2026

Northampton School Committee backed the $56.8 million "strong budget" 9-0 with one abstention. A member moved the $56,774,495 fiscal 2027 operating budget, which restores positions cut in recent years. Chair and Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra abstained, according to the roll call.

She said the plan would require a 15.4 percent increase, compared with about 6.8 percent for level services, which the city has agreed to fund. She also said it would exhaust reserves within two years and leave a deficit above $8 million. Members acknowledged they do not control the appropriation, and Member Renika Montgomery-Tamakloe said the committee "can advocate" and vote.

Earlier the committee approved a JFK Middle School trip to Paris in June 2027 and a $1,454.78 Leeds PTO donation.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Northampton's community access TV: School Committee meeting, April 9, 2026
• The complete report: 1,073 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of April 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.