School Committee

Salem Public Schools School Committee Amanda Campbell​ ​ AJ Hoffman Beth Anne Cornell​ ​ ​Mary A. Manning Manny Cruz, Vice Chair​ ​ ​ Veronica Miranda Mayor Dominick Pangallo, Chair “Know Your Rights Under the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. c.30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033” SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING FY26 PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Salem School Committee will hold a FY26 Public Budget Hearing on April 14, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will take place in person at 29 Highland Ave., Rm. 227, Salem, MA. You can also join via Zoom using the link below. Zoom Link to participate: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84266056882?pwd=3iL7nyZ6qBTExarpXzqY4YFaGM8xGG.1 Passcode: 190921 1.​ Call of Meeting to Order 1. ​ Summary of Public Participation Policy (School Committee Policy #6409). Read aloud: The Salem School Committee would like to hear from the public on issues that affect the school district and are within the scope of the Committee’s responsibilities. Spanish interpretation is available for anyone who needs it. The members of the School Committee would like to remind the public that Salem Public School students regularly attend School Committee meetings. We encourage all meeting participants to model respectful and productive public discourse for our young learners. 2.​ Live Spanish Interpretation. Spanish language interpretation is now provided for all regular School Committee meetings. To listen to this meeting with Spanish language interpretation, please see instructions below: 1. Click Interpretation 2. Click Spanish 3. (Optional) To hear the interpreted language only, click Mute Original Audio. 3.​ Instructions for Participating in Public Comment ​ ​ If you wish to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting, you may come up to the podium to speak during this section of the meeting. If you wish to provide a comment via Zoom, you may do so by entering the Zoom meeting and clicking the raise hand feature. When it is your turn to speak, a host will announce your name and will unmute your line and allow you to speak. 29 Highland Ave, Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-740-1212 Email: sdorai@salemk12.org 4.​ Move to Open the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget 5.​ Public Comments ​ 6.​ Move to Close the Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget 7.​ Move to Open School Committee Meeting for Further Discussion of FY26 Budget, If Needed. 8.​ Adjournment Respectfully submitted by, Shirley Dorai ​ Executive Assistant to the School Committee and Superintendent “Persons requiring auxiliary aids and services for effective communication such as sign language interpreter, an assistive listening device, or print material in digital format or a reasonable modification in programs, services, policies, or activities, may contact the City of Salem ADA Coordinator at (978) 619-5630 as soon as possible and not less than 2 business days before the meeting, program, or event.” Page 2  Escuelas Públicas de Salem Comité Escolar Amanda Campbell​ ​ AJ Hoffman Beth Anne Cornell​ ​ ​ Mary A. Manning Manny Cruz, Vicepresidente​ ​ ​ Veronica Miranda Alcalde Dominick Pangallo, Preside “Conozca sus derechos bajo la Ley de Sesiones Públicas, M.G.L. c.30A § 18-25 y Secciones 2-2028 a 2-2033 de la normativa municipal” REUNIÓN DEL COMITÉ ESCOLAR AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA SOBRE EL PRESUPUESTO AÑO FISCAL 26 Por la presente se notifica que el Comité Escolar de Salem celebrará una Audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto del año fiscal 26 el 14 de Abril, 2025 a las 7:00 p.m. Esta reunión tendrá lugar en persona en 29 Highland Ave., Rm. 227, Salem, MA. También puede unirse a través de Zoom utilizando el enlace de a continuación. Enlace Zoom para participar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84266056882?pwd=3iL7nyZ6qBTExarpXzqY4YFaGM8xGG.1 Passcode:190921 1.​ Orden del día 1. ​ Resumen de la Política de Participación Pública (Política del Comité Escolar nº 6409). Lectura en voz alta: Al Comité Escolar de Salem le gustaría escuchar al público sobre temas que afectan al distrito escolar y que están dentro del ámbito de las responsabilidades del Comité. Habrá interpretación al español para quien lo necesite. Los miembros del Comité Escolar desean recordar al público que los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Salem asisten regularmente a las reuniones del Comité Escolar. Animamos a todos los participantes de la reunión a modelar un discurso público respetuoso y productivo para nuestros jóvenes estudiantes. 2.​ Interpretación en directo al español. Ahora se ofrece interpretación en español para todas las reuniones regulares del Comité Escolar. Para escuchar esta reunión con interpretación al español, por favor vea las instrucciones a continuación: 1. Haga clic en Interpretation . 2. Haga clic en Spanish 3. (Opcional) Para escuchar sólo el idioma interpretado, haga clic en Mute Original Audio. 2.​ Aprobación del orden del día 3.​ Instrucciones para participar en los comentarios públicos 29 Highland Ave, Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-740-1212 Email: sdorai@salemk12.org  Si desea participar en la parte de la reunión dedicada a los comentarios del público, puede acercarse al estrado para hacer uso de la palabra durante esta parte de la reunión. Si desea hacer un comentario a través de Zoom, puede hacerlo entrando en la reunión de Zoom y haciendo clic en la función de levantar la mano. Cuando le toque hablar, un anfitrión anunciará su nombre, desactivará el silencio de su línea y le permitirá hablar. 4.​ Moción para la apertura de la audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto para el año fiscal 26 5.​ Comentarios Públicos 6.​ Moción para cerrar la audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto para el año fiscal 26 7.​ Moción para abrir la reunión del Comité Escolar para seguir discutiendo el presupuesto del año fiscal 26, si es necesario. 8.​ Clausura Respetuosamente presentado por, Shirley Dorai ​ Asistente Ejecutiva del Comité Escolar y del Superintendente “Las personas que necesiten ayudas y servicios auxiliares para una comunicación eficaz, como un intérprete de lenguaje de señas, un dispositivo de ayuda auditiva o material impreso en formato digital, o una modificación razonable en los programas, servicios, políticas o actividades, pueden ponerse en contacto con el Coordinador de la ADA de la Ciudad de Salem en el (978) 619-5630 lo antes posible y no menos de 2 días hábiles antes de la reunión, programa o evento..”  Salem Public Schools FISCAL YEAR 2026 RECOMMENDED BUDGET  School Committee MAYOR DOMINICK PANGALLO, CHAIRPERSON MANNY CRUZ, MARY MANNING VERONCA MIRANDA VICE CHAIRPERSON BETH ANNE CORNELL AMANDA CAMPBELL AJ HOFFMAN  Superintendent Stephen K. Zrike, Ed.D. District Executive Team M. Kate Carbone, Deputy Superintendent Elizabeth Pauley, Assistant Superintendent, Finance & Operations Jen Doucette-Ly, Executive Director of Special Education Ellen Wingard, Executive Director of Student Services Marc LeBlanc, Executive Director of Instructional Technology Chris O’Donnell, Director of Communications Laura Assade, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Engagement Dr. Jill Conrad, Director of Human Resources Dr. Kimberly Talbot, Executive Director of Academics Robby Armstrong, Operations Director, Food and Nutrition Services District Administrators Zissis Alepakis, Director of Buildings and Grounds Joao Barros, Transportation Supervisor Bridget Connors, Director of Out of District Placements André Fonseca, Director of Multilingual Learner Education Sonia Lowe, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Grades 6-12 Taylor MacDonald, Director of Extended Academics & Enrichment Services Jane Morrissey, Director of Nursing and Health Services Monique Osgood, Assistant Director, Special Education Mia Riccio, Director of 6-12 Student Supports Michaela Short, Program Director, Food and Nutrition Services Jodi Tamiyoshi, Director of Library& Digital Learning Elizabeth Yoder, Director of PreK-5 Student Supports Sarah Yuen, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Grades PreK-5 School Principals Leanne Smith, Early Childhood Center Susan Faria-Smith, Bates Elementary School Elizabeth Rogers, Bentley Academy Innovation School Lauren Weaver, Carlton Innovation School Jill Tully, Horace Mann Laboratory School Susan Carmona, Witchcraft Heights Elementary School Bethann Jellison, Saltonstall K-8 School Gavin Softic, Collins Middle School Glenn Burns, Salem High School Lisa O’Neill, Salem Prep High School Jamaal Camah, New Liberty Innovation School Special thanks to Camila Salazar, Kathy Marino, Lee Negron, Maura Varney, and Marcie Glick for their technical expertise,creative and analytical efforts, and overall assistance in developing the budget and this budget book.  Page 4 of 97 About this budget book.. The pages that follow describe the work of the Salem Public Schools & the preliminary plans for the FY26 $78,173,061 budget. The School Committee will review & approve a final budget and send it to City Council for their review and approval in May. We prepare this budget book for the Salem community - including students, staff, and families - to understand the built in assumptions, costs & choices. We welcome your feedback! spsbudget@salemk12.org Table of Contents Table of Contents  Page 7 of 97 Our Values Belonging We believe all members of our community are valued and that our relationships are built on empathy and respect. Equity We believe in promoting social justice to ensure an inclusive school community where all members are empowered and engaged. Opportunity We believe all students should receive a personalized experience to achieve academic success, find joy in their learning, and have multiple choices for their post-secondary plans.  Page 8 of 97 Strategic Priorities Read more about our progress toward the Strategic Plan goals on our website. Build & maintain a districtwide culture of universally high academic Elevate Learning expectations for every learner Make the SPS an inclusive district where student- centered, innovative, and Empower Educators highly effective educators want to work, grow, and stay Build joyful, welcoming, and supportive school Center Belonging communities Develop consistent, reliable systems and structures to Strengthen our disrupt inequities and support Foundation the work on the district  Page 9 of 97 Mission & Vision Mission Salem Public Schools is a diverse and welcoming community that promotes the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of each student through the equitable delivery of challenging, relevant, and joyful learning experiences. We empower all students to chart a personalized path to success that includes a commitment to the common good. Vision All students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world.  Page 10 of 97 Equity Statement Equity is a core value within the Salem Public Schools. We support each student's unique path to achieving high standards regardless of ethnicity, race, color, economic status, national origin, age, abilities, religion, parental or immigration status, political beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, language, gender identity, or gender expression. Valuing equity means that we: Reflect and embrace the greater diversity of our students and families Recognize that systems of oppression marginalize some populations and suppress some voices Bear a collective responsibility to recognize, interrupt, and transform educational inequities Champion access and inclusion for all students/families/staff Allocate resources so that the students/families/staff who need the most get the most Work to be an anti-racist and culturally responsive community Create a more just and equitable world for all our students.  Page 11 of 97 Superintendent’s Message Salem Public Schools Community: As you know, we are in the midst of a challenging budget season as we plan for the 2025-26 school year. For the last year, we have been communicating that increased costs, coupled with a complex funding landscape, would result in a sizable budget gap. Salem’s current fiscal picture is not unique, of course, as school districts across the state are being asked to grapple with rapidly rising costs. The Executive Directors of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS), School Committees (MASC) and School Business Officials (MASBO) have issued a joint statement about the budget challenges facing many school districts throughout Massachusetts. There are a number of converging factors that contribute to Salem’s financial situation: Federal funding for pandemic recovery has expired; Some major expenses are rising significantly, particularly services for out-of-district tuition, transportation, and utilities; Chapter 70, the largest source of state funding for schools, has not increased at a rate that keeps pace with inflation; The City’s appropriation for our schools is expected to be at least $78,173,061, an increase of at least 4.8% over last year. Over the last two years the local allocation to Salem Public Schools has increased by historic amounts and at a level that is higher than comparable communities. Despite this, escalating costs coupled with limited state aid mean that we must make difficult decisions in order to submit a balanced budget for the upcoming school year. We have prioritized measures that we believe are in alignment with our strategic goals; these include not filling vacant positions, right sizing the number of staff in places where student enrollment has declined and, where possible, that are not student-facing. We have heavily weighed and incorporated the feedback that we received during public input sessions and during my monthly stakeholder meetings with educators, students, and families.  Page 12 of 97 Superintendent’s Message Highlights from our budget proposal are below: The budget gap for Salem Public Schools at the start of the budget planning process was $4.9 million; The proposed budget will reduce personnel by approximately 5% of school-based positions and 6% of central office positions; The proposed budget will maintain our investment in pre-kindergarten, advanced coursework, and career/technical programming, among other key programs and offerings that make Salem Public Schools unique and successful; Class sizes will not be significantly altered; Caseloads for multilingual and special education students will remain below those in districts with comparable demographics; While a variety of potential fee options were studied in developing the proposed budget, the district is not recommending any fees be instituted for next year; The proposal honors the historic investment that was made in educator compensation at the beginning of the school year; Any reductions in personnel and non-personnel costs have been made equitably across schools and departments; Educators and staff in positions being reduced and who are certified and qualified will be retained in other roles, as possible. As the FY26 budget process continues to advance, you are invited to share your thoughts by attending a meeting or via email at spsbudget@salemk12.org. As always, we appreciate your engagement and your commitment to ensuring that our students receive the exemplary educational experience that they deserve.  Page 13 of 97 About the SPS For the past 3 years, SPS enrollment has grown. As of March, PreK-12 Increasing enrollment enrollment was 3958, an increase of 6% since 2020 In 2024, average student growth percentile, which compares student learning across school districts was, Increasing Student 51.5%, an increase of 3.8% over 2023 & Growth 1.5% above the state average Completed construction on a new playground at Witchcraft Investing in Elementary School, & launched student spaces the renovation of the PreK playground at Bates Most Commonly Spoken Languages: 1 in 5 students are English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian- Creole, Arabic,Russian,Albanian Multilingual  SPS: Page 14 of 97 By the Numbers Preschool/Prek 214 Students in Out-of- Students Schoolprograms, including 900 summer Students in the & vacation academies Reimagined Middle 270 School experience CTE students 574 Students in music 977 programs Early College Students 144 Students in MS & HS athletics 1277 Note: not 1277 individuals; Promise Year 19 some participate in more than one sport Students Food & Nutrition Services Student Recipe Program This year, we have taste tested student recipes: American Chop Suey Varenyky: Potato Dumplings Deruny: Potato Pancakes Italian Meatballs Honduran Papusas Sushi  Page 15 of 97 Budget Summary  Page 16 of 97 Budget Summary The pages that follow provide a detailed description of the Salem Public Schools’ proposed $78,173,061 fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget. This preliminary budget proposal represents an annual increase of 4.8%: an increase that is identical to last year’s, and larger than the ten year average budget increase. The Salem Public Schools is grateful to the City of Salem for its generous partnership and continued support for our schools. Members of the Salem community will be aware that this has been a complicated budget to build. Almost at the start of the current fiscal year, the Superintendent, district leaders, and members of the School Committee have been forecasting that increasing costs and a complex landscape would demand budget cuts, even with a generous budget increase. As expected, the path to a balanced budget includes reducing positions; 56.5 positions are eliminated in this budget proposal. Whenever possible, vacant positions, planned retirements, or positions held by staff members who are planning to leave have been prioritized for cutting; 35% (19.5) of the proposed cuts fall into that category. An additional 27% (15.5) of position cuts are positions that are held by staff who are shifting into new roles within the district. Our goal in cutting those positions first is to reduce the number of staff who will be leaving the district. As in previous years, we expect that highly qualified and licensed staff will have the opportunity to stay in Salem Public Schools in a different role if they choose to do so. What drives the need for cuts? To start, Salem Public Schools has a structural deficit, defined here as our expenses outpacing our appropriation. In the the previous budget (FY25), the district relied on nearly $5,568,000 in offsets to supplement our appropriated budget. This was a combination of recurring revenue, including funds from the Circuit Breaker Special Education reimbursement ($2,500,000), School Choice ($493,000), tuition revenue for Salem Prep ($260,000), Footprint funds ($200,000) and other revenue ($184,000).  Page 17 of 97 Budget Summary In addition, the district balanced its FY25 budget with $2,450,000 in reserves and one- time resources (the end of ESSER- pandemic- aid and Emergency Migrant Shelter funds). With this as the context from FY25, we enter FY26 knowing that our expenses are significantly more than our appropriation. Once again, the budget relies on annual revenue (from Circuit Breaker and School Choice) to balance, and includes additional offsets (including the last of the Emergency Migrant Shelter funds). Compounding this structural deficit, the district– like many others– is experiencing dramatic increases in personnel and non personnel costs. Education is a “people” business and so it is to be expected that Personnel would represent the largest portion of the budget. When calculating the projected costs for FY26, the Personnel increases are nearly 10% more than what they were budgeted to be in FY25. After making a set of proposed cuts, Personnel costs are expected to rise by approximately 3% and will comprise 76% of the budget. The recently settled educator contract for members of the Salem Teachers Union (including teachers and the PSRP unit), included increases to educator salaries that are–across the board– larger than typically seen. In addition, the new contract recognized additional credits and allowed for accelerated movement across the salary columns, resulting in 12% of STU members (61 people) moving up both in their annual step, and based on their credits earned, moving into a new salary lane. Significant salary increases in the new collective bargaining agreements for the largest cohorts of our staff was done intentionally. The increases demonstrate the value Salem Public Schools places on recruiting, developing, and retaining highly qualified educators. The market adjustments in the new contract align with our Strategic Plan goals and put Salem in a position to pay regionally competitive wages that will allow teachers to stay in our district.  Page 18 of 97 Budget Summary (It is worth noting that in settling this contract, Salem was one of the only districts in our region to avoid a school shutdown and learning stoppage, which we believe reflects a commitment shared between the School Committee, Salem Teachers’ Union and the City to prioritize students.) And though the story of this contract is a success story, the market adjustments agreed to in the contract contribute significantly to the increased Personnel costs for next year. Non-Personnel costs also are increasing. As in previous years, utilities, transportation, and out-of-district tuition have increased. Our utilities continue to increase, despite the more than $1.3 million in energy conservation efforts made this year. For our electricity costs, which will increase by $375,312 (29.5%), a large driver of the increase is the new fixed contract rate. The city negotiated a new rate in calendar year 2024, and FY26 will be the first full year of the new, fixed rate. In the case of transportation and out-of-district tuition, the increases, while more modest than in recent years, feel significant because the district is no longer able to offset to the same extent our transportation expenses for students experiencing homelessness with special funding from the state (emergency migrant funding) and the federal pandemic relief (ESSER). Without grant funds subsidizing costs, the increase to this year’s budget appears to be 25% for transportation. After the last of the Emergency Migrant Funds are applied to the homeless transportation costs, the increase is 18%. This increase is largely driven by the end of the state funding, and the increase in special education transportation costs. In FY25, many of the one-time offsets (referenced above) were applied to non personnel expenses. In the initial budget presentation, the estimated non personnel costs were $20,648,158.74. After applying the Circuit Breaker reimbursement to the out- of-district tuition, that number fell to $18,148,158.70.  Page 19 of 97 Budget Summary Additional offsets were applied to non personnel and the official budget number was $16,017,378. It is largely the one time offsets from last year that is making non personnel appear as such a significant increase. When we look at the FY26 Non- Personnel expenses before reductions and offsets (including the last of the state subsidy for homeless transportation) the total is $19,271,247, an increase of $1,123,088.30 which is a 6% increase above FY25 actuals. After reductions and offsets, the FY26 increase falls to 3% above actual spending (at $18,615,959) and 16% above appropriation. Even as Salem, and nearly every other school district, is experiencing rapid increases in Personnel and Non-Personnel expenses, the state’s funding formula has not kept pace. Inflation has outpaced the increases in the formula, and the share that our community is being asked to pay increases year over year. This is an unsustainable path for the city, and it has become necessary to advocate for updates to the funding formula that reflect the true expense of delivering the education our students deserve. These cost pressures are happening within the context of a shifting Federal landscape. In FY25, Salem allocated 28.6 staff salaries to entitlement grants from the Federal government, totaling $2,193,484. A total of 50 staff positions are funded through $3,394,705 in grant funding from local, state, and federal grants. (These salaries are in addition to those included on the general fund budget.) Recent changes at the Federal level have created the possibility that federal grant amounts and requirements may change in the near term. We hope to have more insight into potential changes to the Federal grant landscape in the fall. Currently we are planning for a “status quo” with federal funding. As we looked to build a balanced budget, we heard in many public forums that the Salem Public Schools should consider implementing fees for services, including extracurriculars, transportation and technology. These are common in other districts, but Salem has not charged fees for these activities in recent years. After analyzing the amount of revenue that could be reasonably expected to be raised, the School Committee determined that fees would likely create barriers for too many students and families, and would compromise our ability to deliver a universally comprehensive education that aligns with our values.  Page 20 of 97 Budget Summary Given that, the School Committee has opted not to charge fees for extracurriculars and transportation; limited and modest fees related to damaged or lost technology will be brought to the School Committee’s Policy Subcommittee for consideration. Beginning in Spring 2025, the School Committee is committed to engaging in deliberations about the number of schools needed, whether the district should reduce the number of schools, and whether controlled choice can be modified to reduce transportation costs. These options have the potential to reduce costs for the district in future years, and could reduce the structural deficit that has challenged the district in recent budget cycles. It’s worth noting that many school districts in our region and state are facing similar challenges with their budgets this year. Reductions in programs and staffing levels are happening in many places. Reducing is always a hard choice: Salem’s educators are tireless in their dedication to students. However, we believe this budget will allow the school district to maintain: class sizes that are identical to or similar to this year’s class sizes; PreK programs at Bates, Horace Mann, Bentley and ECC; access to advanced coursework and CTE programs; student-to-teacher ratios for our most vulnerable students, including special education and multilingual learners; access to student “specials” including arts, music, physical education and library. The choices reflected here are difficult ones, and have been recommended after deliberative discussions with school and district leaders. We welcome feedback and engagement on this proposal so that we collectively ensure that the FY26 budget supports our values and promotes success for all of our students.  Page 21 of 97 FY26: At A Glance The FY26 appropriation for the Salem Public Schools is $78,173,061, a 4.8% increase above FY25. Highlights Personnel includes staff & stipends. It is 76% of the budget. $60,382,468 Personnel will increase Personnel 3% over FY25; this assumes $3,585,276.35 in position reductions 76% Nonpersonnel includes transportation, utilities, tuition, as well as all $18,615,959 instructional supplies and anything that is Non-Personnel not compensation. Non-Personnel will increase $2,598,580.76 (+16%) 24% above FY25's appropriation  Page 22 of 97 Appropriation vs. Actual Expenses Highlights $78,173,061 $83,238,991.45 FY26 FY26 actual appropriation expenses +4.8% +12% above FY25 above FY25 Before reductions & offsets, Personnel & Non-Personnel costs for FY26 are estimated to be nearly $4.9M above the appropriation (6% above the appropriation). To close this gap, this preliminary budget proposal includes $3,585,276.35 in Personnel & $355,288 in Non- Personnel reductions. The remaining gap will be closed by prepaying Special Education Tuition for FY26, and maximizing grant & revolving revenue (including applying grant funds to offset Homeless Transportation).  Page 23 of 97 FY26: Balancing Our costs are greater than our appropriation; the Budget Here is how we balanced our budget: Charter Local Ch. 70: Reimbursement: Contribution: $31,038,303 $1,416,572 $45,718,186 Recurring Revenue: Reductions: Other Offsets: $3,940,564.35 $825,366.10 $3,400,000 What is the Recurring Revenue? Circuit Breaker ($2.9M) School Choice ($500K) Reductions 56.5 positions totaling $3,585,276.35 and $355,288.00 in Non-Personnel expenses What are the offsets? PrePayment of Special Education Tuition ($700K) Maximizing grant revenue & Revolving Funds ($125,366.10 applied to Personnel)  Page 24 of 97 Personnel costs have risen dramatically: nearly 10% increases before making 56.5 position reductions. After the proposed reductions, Personnel costs increase more modestly, at +3%. Regular day transportation costs will be $1,340,000; this includes the contractual increase for 12 buses, and a daily late bus. Note that this is a reduction of one bus, which may increase waitlists. Homeless transportation is estimated to be $1,165,000, an increase of $364,611. For the previous 2 years, this expense has been subsidized by the Emergency Assistance Homeless Families grants for migrant newcomers; these funds have ended and we will use the last of them to offset an expected budget of $1,465,000. Electricity costs will increase by nearly 30% ($375,312.). FY26 will be the first year of the new rate that Salem has locked into. Tuition for students going out of district will total $4,388,643 this year, a significant increase over FY25 (a more than 40% increase). The cause of this is not just enrollment: private placements & collaboratives are facing increased costs of their own. Insurance: Student accident & workplace safety insurance is estimated to increase by 4% – a $34,150 increase from $845,000 to $879,150.  Page 25 of 97 In FY26 we are proposing to drop from 13 buses to 12, which may increase the waiting lists at Salem Academy, Collins Middle School and Salem High School. We plan to closely monitor attendance on the buses to ensure that all routed -5% riders are taking the bus. -- Homeless Transportation has been subsidized by state funding for the previous 2 years. We have already assume using the remainder of these funds as an offset in FY26. +46% Page 26 of 97 +30% +10% Page 27 of 97 +47% +4%  Page 28 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 -56.5 positions Of the 56.5 position reductions: 35% (19.5) are retirements or vacancies 27% (15.5) are held by staff likely to move into new roles in the district *Note- many of the individuals in unknown category will secure positions in SPS  Page 29 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 Bates Reading Specialist -1 Districtwide Science Coach -0.5 Bates Music Teacher -0.5 Districtwide Science Coach -0.5 Bates Instructional Paraprofessional -1 Early Bates Science Coach -0.5 Childhood P.E. Teacher -1 Center Bates Tutor -1 Family Engagement Bates Special Education Teacher -0.5 HMLS -1 Facilitator Bentley Instructional Paraprofessional -1 Instructional Bentley Instructional Paraprofessional -1 HMLS -1 Paraprofessional Bentley Reading Interventionist -0.5 Instructional Bentley School Engagement Specialist -1 -1 Paraprofessional Bentley Special Education Teacher -0.5 Special Education HMLS -1 Carlton Math Specialist Teacher -0.5 Teacher Carlton Math Specialist Teacher -0.5 HMLS Specials (art teacher) -0.5 Carlton Instructional Paraprofessional -1 New Liberty ML teacher -0.5 Carlton Special Education Teacher -0.5 Salem High Adjustment Counselor -1 Central Special Education support Salem High CTE Teacher -1 -0.5 Office personnel Salem High Math Teacher -1 Central Salem High World Language Teacher -1 Buildings & Grounds Clerk -0.5 Office Salem High On-Track Specialist -2 Central Food & Nutrition Services -0.5 Salem High Tutor -3 Office Clerk (grant funded) Salem High Classroom Nurse -1 Central Curriculum Director, PRE-K -1 Salem High TBD -4 Office TO 5 Salem High Transition Specialist -0.5 Central Technology Coordinator -1 Instructional Office Salem Prep -1 Paraprofessional Central Welcome Engagement -1 Office Facilitator Collins Instructional Coach -1 Collins Interventionist -1 Collins Interventionist -1 Project Based Learning & Collins -1 Design Teacher  Page 30 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 Saltonstall Adjustment Counselor -1 Instructional Saltonstall -1 Paraprofessional Instructional Saltonstall -1 Paraprofessional Saltonstall Reading Specialist -1 Saltonstall Science Coach -0.5 Special Education Saltonstall -1 Teacher Saltonstall (Specials) Teacher -1 Family Engagement SALTS -1 Facilitator WHES Civics Teacher -1 Family Engagement WHES -1 Facilitator Instructional WHES -1 Paraprofessional Instructional WHES -1 Paraprofessional Special Education WHES -1 Teacher WHES Classroom Teacher -2 TOTAL -56.5  Page 31 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 % of Central % of School Office position position reductions 7% reductions 6% (4.5 of 65) (51 out of 796)* When faced with the need to reduce positions, we committed to minimizing, wherever possible, the impact on students (although eliminating nearly any position will have some impact on students). We sought to balance these reductions, so that no one school or department would shoulder an outsized impact. Schools and departments were asked to adjust their budgets by a percentage that was based on the percentage that school or department represented as part of the overall budget. Larger schools and departments were asked to make more reductions. Because most positions in SPS are school-based, the majority of positions being reduced are from schools. However, the central office positions (defined as the 65 positions that are not student facing) are being eliminated at a higher percentage of the total central office staff (acknowledging that it is a smaller denominator). The changes to the central office include administrative support staff as well as directors. In both the central office and school based reductions, there will be workstreams that need to be filled by next year’s staff, and many structures and ways of working will need to be re-examined. In the case of the central office, this may mean that support structures for schools (e.g. elementary science supports) will no longer exist. School reductions may demand different schedules & shared staffing. *This number excludes grant funded staff positions. Full FTE numbers are on page 33.  Page 32 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 About the Central Office Central Office positions are defined here as those that exist to support schools & whose staff are non-student facing. There are 65 staff members classified as Central Office, 53.5 of whom are budgeted to the General Fund. Districtwide staff, staff who are budgeted centrally but who hold student- facing positions and who work in one or more schools, (e.g. itinerant music teachers, Special Education Psychologists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) are not included in theis number of Central Office staff. In FY25 there are approxmiately 32 Districtwide Staff.  Page 33 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 This table shows the total FTEs (Full Time Equivalents) in schools, central office, & districtwide. The central office staff are those who are not student facing. Districtwide includes positions that are budgeted to more than one school (e.g. music teachers who work in multiple schools). These numbers are slightly different than the numbers cited on page 31 because this table includes positions funded by grants. (Not included here are Cafeteria staff because they are funded through reimbursement and not included on the General Fund.) The total number of position reductions is also higher (by 3) because this considers “swapped” and added positions. (Finally, the numbers at Collins and Saltonstall reflect the consolidation of middle school grades from Saltonstall into Collins.)  Average Page 34 of 97 Class Sizes: FY25 & FY26 The chart above shows average class sizes in Salem’s elementary and middle grades. In FY25, average elementary class size ranges from 19-22 students per class. In FY26, average elementary class size will range from 20-22. Middle school classes will remain at an average size of 24. The average class sizes at Salem High School in core classes is approximately 21 students.  Page 35 of 97 Salem Public Schools FY25 Budget Book | 02 Each year, SPS creates new positions to meet student needs. Some of these are redesigned (or swapped) positions and some are new to the budget. New positions that were added to the budget during ‘24-’25 are listed below. 1 Behavior Specialist (ECC) 3 1:1 Paraprofessionals 1 Transitional Kindergarten teacher 1 new Classroom Nurse There are a few position swaps proposed this year. These are not included as position reductions because they are positions that are being combined or redesigned to meet student needs Bates Elementary School 2 Paraprofessional positions are being swapped to create a Behavior Specialist position for the TSP program. Library Para Professionals 4 Library ParaProfessional positions are being swapped to create 2 Library Digital Learning Specialist (teacher) positions. This swap will ensure that nearly every elementary school has a licensed teacher in the library and will add a specialist class for students. Athletics/High School 1 clerk will be swapped for a new Student Activities *Indicates ESSER funded Teacher position. positions  Page 36 of 97 FY26: At A FY25: At A Glance Glance Budget Appropriation: Budget Appropriation: The$78,173,061 Numbers $74,592,616 +4.8% over FY25 +4.83% over FY24 Total Budget $71,154,142, a 3.5% increase Total Spending: over FY23 Total Spending: $83,238,991.45 $80,158,896.50 +6% increase over the +7.5% increase over the appropriation appropriation Reduced/Offset Reduce/Offset Personnel: Personnel: Personnel$60,382,468 $59,510,737.76 76% of the budget $56,711,241.50 74% of the budget 3% over FY25 +5% over FY24 78.5% of the budget Reduced/Offset Reduced/Offset NonPersonnel NonPersonnel $18,615,959 $20,648,158.74 Non-Personnel 24% of the budget 26% of the budget $15,556.5,900.03 16% over FY25 +33% over FY24 21.5% of the budget Position Reductions Position Reductions & 56.5 reductions Adds: Position Cuts & Adds 16 reductions from the 6 new unbudgeted General Fund positions Net added in FY25 of 16 reductions 22 grant positions ending 33 positions added to the 8 Swapped positions for 5 general fund/sustained new positions from grants Net of 5 positions cut $456,266 added Building the FY26 Budget  Page 38 of 97 Our budget was shaped Budget Process by these principles: Allocate resources equitably October 1: DESE reports Salem’s official enrollment numbers; Ch70 aid is based on this enrollment. Align funding to strategic priorities December: SPS conducts a staffing & values analysis & calculates known contractual salary increases. Activiely solicit January: Internal budget meetings begin. stakeholder input February & March: Host 3 public budget forums (including 1 staff forum), and Partner with school leaders to meetings with other stakeholder/ flexibly & creatively allocate advisory groups to develop priorities. resources March: Preliminary budget reductions compiled once budget increase is identified. In the end, we Ongoing: Community conversations. prioritized: Preserving class sizes Offering regionally competitive wages for educators Maintaining caseload ratios for special education and multilingual Expanding Digital Library Services learners Supporting a seamless transition Increasing stipends for athletic for the Saltonstall & Collins coaches communities Preserving access to high Reducing vacant positions first, and interest student programming: where possible, prioritizing student Pre-K, early college and CTE facing positions Maintaining no fees  Page 39 of 97 Budget Timeline Timeline & Action  Page 40 of 97 Chapter FY26 Chapter 70: $31,038,303 70 $31M FY26 CH70 +$1.4M FY26 CH70 State Funding The state funding formula is based on the number & demographics of enrolled students as of October 1, with increments for special programming. Salem’s CH70 is increasing by $1,395,987 above last year’s CH70 allocation. Local Funds: The city’s portion of the budget (“Target Local Contribution”) will be $47.1 million; the City of Salem is the largest funder of the SPS budget. In FY19, that amount was $35.4 million. This year’s contribution is 3.6% higher than in FY25. The city’s contribution includes the general fund appropriation. Employee Health insurance and other costs are reflected on the city’s budget, and are in addition to the $47.1 million.  Page 41 of 97 FY26 Community Input To identify budget priorities, SPS hosted: 2 community forums 1 staff forum Meetings with multiple advisory groups: teacher, student and parent Conversation with ELPAC and SEPAC Discussion with STU, AFSCME and SAA Finance subcommittee meetings Discussions with school leaders Executive team meetings Emails received at spsbudget@salemk12.org Synthesis of Stakeholder Input is included in Appendix A  Page 42 of 97 Stakeholder Input: Themes Which positions or programs might SPS do without and/or what ideas do you have for more effectively using resources? Non-student facing positions Duplicative positions Share staff and resources across schools Yondr pouches Eliminate consultants What are some programs, staff and experiences that we can not do without? Pre-Kindergarten classes Small class sizes Arts programming Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pre-Kindergarten Early College Late buses at CMS and SHS Any programs that motivate students to attend school Should we consider instituting fees (transportation, bus pass replacement, athletics, extracurricular activities, etc.)? There should be an opt in for families that want to “donate” Leverage more fundraisers, grants, alumni donations Concern about families that can not afford any fees for activities Concern about transportation fee and how it might impact chronic absenteeism and safety for children commuting  Page 43 of 97 Budgets Begin with Enrollment Enrollment as of October 1: 934 Students With IEPs 2107 Low Income students Total October Enrollment: 3831 730 For decades, Salem’s student enrollment was Multilingual declining. In 2015, there were 4,199 students Learners enrolled; ten years later, as of March, enrollment is 3956.5. As of the end of March, FY25 Enrollment is 2% higher than last year (FY24). The enrollment increases Salem has enjoyed over the last several years have a direct and positive effect 256 on the amount of state funding (CH70) Salem Homeless receives. The CH70 formula is based on enrollment Students and student demographics as of 10/1 (reflected on the left).  FY26 Recommended Budget Detail  Page 45 of 97 FY26 Recommended Budget FY26 Expense & Personnel The difference between $78,998,427.10 and the appropriation, $78,173,061 is the prepayment of Special Education Tuition & the plan to maximize grant & revolving fund revenue to offset portions of staff costs ($825,336).  Page 46 of 97 FY26 Recommended Expense Budget  Page 47 of 97 Non-Personnel Costs Over Time Notes: Salem’s Non-Personnel costs have increased rapidly over the last several years. In FY25, before applying offsets, the total nonpersonnel expenses were estimated to be $20,648,158. After applying annual Circuit Breaker revenue and Emergency Migrant funds for homeless transportation, the nonpersonnel expenses were $17,848,158. Additional offsets were applied to balance the budget, and reduce the overall budget to $16,017,378. When we apply the annual Circuit Breaker revenue and the last of the Emergency Migrant funds for homeless transportation to our nonpersonnel expenses, the estimated cost is $18,971,247 (a 6.3% increase over FY25). An additional $355,288 in non-personnel reductions have been applied to reach the $18,615,959 budgeted number.  Page 48 of 97 FY26 Recommended Personnel Budget  Page 49 of 97 Personnel Costs Over Time Notes: Salem’s largest expense is Personnel; in FY26, this will account for 76% of the budget. In a typical year, Personnel costs increase by an average of 5%. This year, before the reductions were applied, the increase was nearly 10%. After applying the reduction, and using the annual revenue from School Choice to support our early childhood classrooms, the increase was 3%. This year’s increase is driven by an intentional investment in the largest group of employees: STU members including teachers and the members of the PSRP unit. The Salem School Committee is committed to paying a competitive wage. This will allow the Salem Public Schools to recruit and retain a highly qualified and diverse workforce.  Page 50 of 97 Cost Centers as a % of the Budget Salem’s Budget is organized into 18 Cost Centers. The largest is Salem High School (18%) followed by Special Education (12%) and Collins Middle School (11%)  FY26 Recommended Budget by Cost Center  Page 52 of 97 Academics (Regular Day) This cost center (Regular Day) includes Teaching & Learning, Out of School Time, and Districtwide Programs (including Music) FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Reducing $62,000, including $5,000 from Dues & Subs (typically underused), $57,000 from Contract Services (will rely more on internal expertise & consultants) Reducing $25,000 from OST (increased grant funding) Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions: 2 Elementary Science Coaches (1 of these positions is shown as a cut of .5 at Bates, .5 at SALTs) 1 Director, PreK-5 Curriculum (vacant) The large reduction in Personnel also includes Substitute teachers who, in FY25, were budgeted to a district Substitute line that is included in this cost center  Page 53 of 97 District Administration This cost center (District Admin) includes Human Resources, Communications, Finance & Payroll, Grants, Superintendent’s Office, Deputy Superintendent’s Office, & School Committee FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Insurance premiums (accident insurance, not employee health insurance) are budgeted to to increase by 4% Personnel includes salary increases and reductions: Reducing: In FY25 a large collective bargaining reserve was budgeted to District Admin. Because the FY26 collective bargaining increases are known, that line was descreased in the FY26 budget by 83% The cut to the Paraprofessional line reflects a change in the classification of the front desk staff member (now a clerk)  Page 54 of 97 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Engagement FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Expense lines cut to reflect actual spending, which was lower than expected because of increased grant revenue Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions: 1 Welcome/Engagement Facilitator (vacant) (Note: this position is labeled in the budget above as a Family Engagement Facilitator) Information about FY23's expenses can be found on the Student Support Services & Health budget page  Page 55 of 97 Instructional Technology FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Increasing Computer (subscription) lines to reflect known price increases with funds from Contracted Services; $8,000 is being cut from that line Adding $170,000 to Hardware as part of the device replacement schedule $2,000 is being cut from the Prof Dev Expense line to help balance the budget Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions: Reducing 1 Technology Coordinator (shown in the Dist Wide line) (Swap): 1 Director of Library & Digital Learning & Library Services is being swapped for 1 Library & Digital Learning Coordinator role  Page 56 of 97 Multilingual Learners FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Reducing Contract Services by $9,038 (by planning to reduce the use of outside contractors). Moving $41,394 from Contract Services to Instructional Supplies. Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing ML Stipends ($37,150) and DL stipend ($10,000) by $47,150 & will focus stipended opportunities on strictly essential work that needs to be done outside of contracted hours. Growth over time of Salem’s Multilingual Learner population  Page 57 of 97 Operations & Maintenance FY26 Budget  Page 58 of 97 Operations & Maintenance Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Buildings & Grounds: Shifting $153,000 from Inspections & Testing to Contracted Services Electricity is increasing by 30% Transportation: Reducing by -1 school bus (from 13-12); this is being done to help balance the budget and may create waitlists for non-mandatory riders at Salem Academy, Collins Middle School and Salen High School. (Currently the only school with a waiting list is Salem High School.) By fully implementing attendance taking on school buses, we hope to be able to move students off the waiting list by removing students who are routed to the bus but not actually riding it. Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing .5 Buildings & Grounds Clerk &.5 Food & Nutrition Services Clerk (note: not part of the GF budget) Salaries for (2) in-house school bus drivers have been shifted to the Transportation Revolving account and appear as a $62,125.13 cut to the general fund  Page 59 of 97 Special Education One of the largest cost drivers in the Special Education budget is out of district (OOD) tuition for students whose needs are best met in an intensive placement. In the last two years, costs for specialized placements have increased between 8-14% per year. While out of district enrollments have been increasing, Salem is well below the out of district enrollment rates the district saw before the pandemic. (FY26 is estimated to be 64 OOD students, down nearly 30% from FY19.) Students with a diverse range of needs continue to enroll; Salem has responded by creating new, in-district programs that can meet their needs, help them succeed, and reduce the number of out of district placements. This intentional response to student needs appears to be stabilizing the OOD placement rates, and may help to contain the rising costs of these tuitions.  Page 60 of 97 Special Education FY26 Budget  Page 61 of 97 Special Education Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Equipment line is increasing to replace aging technology & devices Transportation is increasing 29% for In-district transportation ($239,866) and 18% ($194,350) for Out of District transportation Personnel (budget lines include salary changes and position reductions): Districtwide increase reflects staff being allocated to district budget lines Nurses line reflects staffing change .5 support specialist (grant funded) 1 Classroom Nurse (SHS) .5 Transition Specialist (SHS)  Changes to Page 62 of 97 Special Education FY26 Budget The FY26 budget includes reductions to Special Education programming across the district, including: 4 Special Education inclusion teachers (1 retirement, 1 vacancy; all other staff in those roles are expected to have jobs in the SPS) .5 Special Education support specialist (grant funded) .5 Transition Specialist 1 Classroom Nurse (vacancy) 7 Instructional Paraprofessionals These reductions are being made based on enrollment & student need. Information about the impact on Inclusion Caseloads is below. Note: FTEs include a Reading Teacher for grades K-5, 6-8, & SHS.  Page 63 of 97 Student Support Services & Health FY26 Budget  Page 64 of 97 Student Support Services & Health Budget Notes: DEIE is included within this cost center, although we also show the DEIE budget as a stand alone budget. We show it here because it shows the more complete history of those budget lines (which were not separate from Student Support Services before FY24). Non-Personnel: Health Services cut $12,350 from nonpersonnel to help balance the budget Moving $10,000 from Educational Training to Contract Services Instructional Supplies & Stipends was reduced to help balance the budget Homeless Transportation costs are increasing by 46%; this is because this budget line has been offset by Emergency Migrant funding in FY24 & FY25. The remaining $300,000 is already applied to these expenses in FY26. Personnel There is no Family Engagement Facilitator budgeted to Student Support Services; that is the Welcome & Engagement Facilitator position that is budgeted in the Parent Information Center (within DEIE). A coordinator position is mislabeled as Translation Services.  FY26 Recommended Budget by Cost Center  Page 66 of 97 BATES ELEMENTARY BELIEVE. BE YOU. BELONG. Principal: Susan Faria-Smith Assistant Principal: Craig Macarelli Grades PreK-5 spsbates.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 411 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +5.4% enrollment vs. last year  Page 67 of 97 Bates FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel: Moving $4,000 from Technology Equipment to Contracted Services Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: 1 Instructional Paraprofessional 1 (Math) Tutor 1 Reading Specialist .5 Music teacher .5 Special Education Teacher (Swap): 2 Instructional Paraprofessional positions are being swapped to create 1 new Behavior Specialist position for the TSP program  Page 68 of 97 Principal: Elizabeth Rogers Assistant Principal: Yamilis Cruz Grades PreK-5 spsbentley.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 295 Note: the drop between FY25 & FY26 is due to position reductions and district positions being reallocated to district lines. ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +7.2% enrollment vs. last year  Page 69 of 97 Bentley FY26 Budget Budget Notes Non-Personnel Modest cut to Contract Services to balance the budget Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions Reducing: 1 School Engagement Specialist 2 Instructional Paraprofessionals .5 Reading Interventionist .5 Special Education teacher The Administrative line in FY25 was over budgeted in error; cut reflects the School Engagement Specialist cut applied Districtwide Teaching line reflects .5 Reading Interventionist cut and an SLPA moved to a districtwide Special Education line & a difference in salaries for new staff hired in FY25 The Substitute line in FY25 had the Behavior Specialist budgeted to it in error. The Behavior Specialist has been budgeted in FY26 in the top line. A Building Substitute has been added (was previously budgeted to a district Substitute line)  Page 70 of 97 Principal: Lauren Weaver Assistant Principal: Merry McKenna Grades K-5 spscarlton.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 265 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +1.5% enrollment vs. last year Carlton Page 71 of 97 FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel level funded to FY25 Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions Reducing: 1 Instructional Paraprofessional .5 Math Specialist Teacher .5 Math Specialist Teacher .5 Special Education Teacher Districtwide teaching line reflects differences in salary for staff hired in FY25  Page 72 of 97 Principal: Gavin Softic Assistant Principals: Eliza Casella Shamus Mruk Grades 6-8 spscollins.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 634 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE -0.2% enrollment vs. last year Collins Page 73 of 97 FY26 Budget Collins Page 74 of 97 Budget Notes Non-Personnel Contracted Services, Dues and Subs, Equipment, Instructional Software, Instructional Supplies are increasing to accomodate for the additional students who will be enrolling from Saltonstall Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: 1 Instructional Coach 2 Interventionists 1 Project Based Learning & Design Teacher (Swap): 1 Library Paraprofessional for .5 of 1 new Library & Digital Learning Specialist teacher position (in an elementary school) Position reductions are reflected in the Districtwide Teaching line, and the amount of the reduction looks smaller because of the addition of teachers from Saltonstall The budget line for the Family Engagement Facilitator was slightly overbudgeted in FY25 Substitute teacher line included Student Engagement Specialists in FY25; in FY26 they have been budgeted to the Behavior Specialist line and the Substitute line is for two building substitutes  Page 75 of 97 Principal: Leanne Smith Preschool-PreK spsecc.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 127 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE -5.3% enrollment vs. last year ECC Page 76 of 97 FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Adding $24,000 to Contract Services to ensure there is capacity for inclusive movement Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing 1 Physical Education Teacher Nurses line appears to be reduced since a Classroom Nurse that was not working at ECC had been previously budgeted to ECC  Page 77 of 97 Principal: Jill Tully Assistant Principal: Meghann McCarthy Grades PreK-5 spshmann.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 305 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE -2.9% enrollment vs. last year HMLS Page 78 of 97 FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Contract Services cut by $11,000; $2,000 is being moved to Office Supplies and $9,000 is being cut to as part of the FY25 plan to use the funds to maintain the Lunch Para $3,000 is being moved from Educational Training to Instructional Supplies Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: 1 Family Engagement Facilitator (vacant) 2 Instructional Paraprofessionals (vacant) 1 Special Education Teacher .5 Art Teacher Fringe/Stipends are cut to balance the budget  Page 79 of 97 Principal: Jamaal Camah Grades 9-12 nlis.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 50 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE 0.0% enrollment change vs. last year  Page 80 of 97 New Liberty FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Contract Services were cut to balance the budget Rental & Lease is reduced slightly because it was overbudgeted in FY25 Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: .5 ML teacher (vacant) .5 ML teacher was labeled as an Elementary Teaching role Teaching line reflects a $19.077.93 cut due to salary differences in staff roles  Page 81 of 97 Salem High School Principal: Glenn Burns Assistant Principals: Lynne Mullen Leanne DeRosa Jane Victor Grades 9-12 spssalemhs.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 967 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +2.1% enrollment vs. last year SHS Page 82 of 97 FY26 Budget  Page 83 of 97 SHS Budget Notes Non-Personnel Non-personnel lines are cut modestly to reflect actual spending and to balance the budget Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Preliminary position reductions include: 2 On-Track Specialists 1 Classroom Nurse 3 Tutors 1 Adjustment Counselor 1 CTE Teacher (vacancy) 1 Math Teacher 1 World Language Teacher (vacancy) 4 Teachers (TBD) .5 Transition Specialist (Swap): 1 Library Paraprofessional swapped for .5 of 1 Library & Digital Learning Specialist teacher role (at an elementary school)  Page 84 of 97 Athletics FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Increasing the Stipends line ($100,000) for athletic coach stipends All other nonpersonnel expenses are assumed to be level for FY26 Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. (Swap): 1 clerk is being swapped for a 1 FTE teacher (Student Activities teacher)  Page 85 of 97 Principal: Lisa O‘Neill Grades 8-12 spssalemhsprep.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 27 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +68.8% enrollment vs. last year Salem Prep Page 86 of 97 FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Contract Services are being cut by $2,000 to balance the budget $200.00 from Instructional Hardware is being moved to Other Expenses Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing 1 Instructional Paraprofessional (vacant) The cut to the Behavior Specialist line was a cut made in FY25 (trading a Behavior Specialist for a second Paraprofessional)  Page 87 of 97 Principal: Bethann Jellison Assistant Principal: Jes Eveleth Grades K-8 spssaltonstall.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 419 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +2.4% enrollment vs. last year  Page 88 of 97 Saltonstall FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-personnel Contract Services, Equipment, Instructional Supplies were decreased to be level with other elementary school non-personnel expenses Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: 1 Family Engagement Facilitator (vacant) 2 Instructional Paraprofessionals (vacant) 1 Adjustment Counselor 1 Reading Specialist 1 Special Education Teacher (vacant) 1 Spanish Teacher (Swap): 1 Library Paraprofessional swapped for .5 of 1 Library Digital Learning Specialist Teacher (combined with the Library Paraprofessional position from Collins to make 1 FTE) 9 teachers & 5.9 Special Education staff staff moving to Collins Elementary line reflects the reduced positions  Page 89 of 97 Principal: Susan Carmona Assistant Principal: Nicole Brunelle Grades K-5 spswhes.salemk12.org Total FY25 Enrollment: 458 ENROLLMENT BY GRADE +0.9% enrollment vs. last year  Page 90 of 97 Witchcraft FY26 Budget Budget Notes: Non-Personnel Level budget to FY25 Personnel lines include all salary increases and reductions. Reducing: 1 Family Engagement Facilitator 2 Paraprofessionals (vacant) 1 Specialist Teacher (Civics) 1 Special Education Teacher 2 Classroom Teachers (1 vacant) (Swap) 1 Library Paraprofessional swapped for .5 of 1 Library Digital Learning Specialist Teacher (combined with the Library Paraprofessional position from the High School to make 1 FTE) The Behavior Specialist line is the Restorative Justice Specialist. This position had been budgeted to the Substitute Teacher line in FY25 and is moved to the correct line for FY26. A Building Substitute is budgeted to that line.  Page 91 of 97 Appendices  Page 92 of 97 Appendix A: We received input from students, staff, and community members at forums, through Input email, and conversations at advisory groups. Below is a synthesized list of feedback we received. 178 FY26 Student Input What can we do without, while continuing to serve all students well? Cut Yonder pouch expense Have students take fewer classes, thus offering fewer classes Not paying rent for NLIS & Salem Prep Eliminate classes that are not popular Rent out district spaces so we can generate more revenue Put a cap on SAT and free application waivers Participation in sports should count as a physical education credit Should we consider instituting fees (transportation, bus pass replacement, athletics, extracurricular activities, etc.)? Have more fundraisers/alumni donations Do NOT create fees for sports/athletics- this is an appealing aspect of SHS Save dollars by “going green” and promoting sustainability FY26 Community Input Which positions or programs might SPS do without and/or what ideas do you have for more effectively using resources? Students should not be allowed to attend Essex Tech if SHS offers the program Transportation for social economic challenged families vs not Take a look at positions that are not student facing compared to those that work more directly with students Monitors on busses Look at duplicative services and have personnel travel/work across buildings where appropriate Eliminate the cost of YONDR pouches What are some programs, staff and experiences that we can not do without? Maintain small class sizes Music Art Drama Summer programming Social workers and adjustment counselors Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pre-Kindergarten Early College Late buses at CMS and SHS Any programs that encourages students to attend school regularly  Page 93 of 97 Appendix A: Input 178 FY26 Community Input Should we consider instituting fees (transportation, bus pass replacement, athletics, extracurricular activities, etc.)? Question about fees for clubs for social economic challenged families vs not (adding to opt in to “donate” to club or sports) There should be an opt in for these programs for families that want to “donate” Concern about families that can not afford any fees of clubs, sports and/or an after school activity Concern about the chromebook replacement fee Concern about transportation fee and how it can affect chronic absenteeism and safety for children commuting Maybe bring back a partial fee for transportation. Have the City charge for using parking spaces at SHS lot during October Consider using the Salem Skipper for afterschool late transportation Other notes and questions Can we strengthen scheduling at SHS to be more efficient? Can we leverage solar panels to save resources? Can we collaborate with other districts to create open shared substantially separate classrooms so that we can reduce the number of students in out of district placements?  Page 94 of 97 Appendix A: Input 178 FY26 Staff Input Which positions or programs might SPS do without and/or what ideas do you have for more effectively using resources? Ensure that all lights are on timers Hire a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing to save on consultants Refrain from using consultants Consolidate schools/programs as needed given the extra space we have around the District Eliminate the use of YONDR pouches What are some programs, staff and experiences that we can not do without? Any person working directly with children. Early-childhood paraprofessionals Reading specialists Coaches - literacy, math, science Appropriate amount of staff in sub-separate program School choice Visual-performing-arts educators Student success staff at the middle school level Physical education staff Life Skills/ASD staff All our special education programs and the support staff BCBAs for special-ed Support for students with emotional needs Math-support-staff Admins at the middle school Unified sports and other unified opportunities Dual-language program expansion Recruit and retain qualified staff for dual language (DL) program Instructional inclusion-paraprofessionals especially for science and social studies Should we consider instituting fees (transportation, bus pass replacement, athletics, extracurricular activities, etc.)? Only if it is a sliding scale Proves to be a barrier/deterrent for students even if their fee would be waived Many other communities collect fees, we should as well We should not charge fees that are part of the curriculum  Page 95 of 97 FY26 Staff Input Staff Input: What should SPS prioritize?  Page 96 of 97 Appendix B: Grants 178 Grants 74 Total dollars awarded in FY25 (all grants): Active $17,157,820.25 Grants Total dollars awarded in FY25 (all 15 grants): Federal $ 4,379,896 Grants (Open: $4,311,439) Federal Funds: 28.61 FTEs $2,196,484.14 FTEs State Funds: 5.57 FTEs $376,042.22 Local: 15.36 FTEs $1,162,179.34 Page 97 of 97