Stoneham School Committee Unanimously Approves $46 Million FY27 Budget Proposal

STONEHAM — January 22, 2026 — Stoneham School Committee votes unanimously to propose a $46 million budget for FY27 while teachers remain without a contract more than 200 days into negotiations. The 5-0 vote on the $46,018,906 budget proposal came at the committee's January 22 meeting, following a public hearing required under MGL Chapter 71 Section 38N, with a more detailed second hearing expected in March or early April. Superintendent Kristin DeFrancisco said the budget reflects a "significant leap" in the salary line aimed at bringing entry-level teacher pay to $61,000 at the bachelor's level and $66,000 at the master's level, goals she described as consistent across both the $9.3 million override that passed December 9 and the $12.5 million figure that did not. Finance Director Diane Johnson cautioned that post-FY27 budget growth will be capped at roughly three percent annually — below typical salary-scale growth — constraining the district's long-term flexibility. More than a dozen teachers, education support professionals, and parents filled public comment to press for faster contract resolution, with SEA President Jason Epskyer declaring, "The community has sacrificed to provide the funding with the expectation of bringing all staff to mid-market." The committee scheduled additional bargaining sessions for February 3, 10, and 24 before adjourning into executive session.