Boston Spending on Schools Projected to Increase 3.4%

On February 5, Boston Public Schools Superintendent, Mary Skipper, revealed a general fund budget of $1.58B, an increase of $52.1M or 3.4% from the FY25 current budget. The proposed budget does not anticipate any loss in federal funding as a result of the shifting funding environment since the change in presidential administration and the proposed elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, which Congress must approve. The chaos creates uncertainty as the district embarks on the FY26 budget process, but the Superintendent rightly proposed a budget that reflects current federal law.

The Superintendent did not propose any major new initiatives; the proposed budget includes ongoing investment in previously announced priorities, most notably inclusionary education for special education students and English language learners. The general fund budget projects a slight decline in FTE (full-time equivalent) positions, down 0.1%, while spending on salaries and benefits is expected to grow by 2.8% or $33.1M. The per pupil expenditure is expected to be more than $31,000 in FY26.

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