Stoneham schools request $48.1 million for fiscal year 2027, citing salary and staffing gaps

STONEHAM — September 16, 2025 — Stoneham's Override Study Committee received a preliminary school budget request of $48.1 million for fiscal year 2027, roughly $8.7 million above the current operating level. State Representative Michael Day and State Senator Jason Lewis opened the September 16 meeting with a survey of state and federal funding flows, highlighting a 5 percent increase in Chapter 70 education aid to approximately $7.9 million for fiscal year 2026, an 83 percent jump in Chapter 90 infrastructure funding to $863,000, and a $200,000 earmark secured for senior tax relief if an override moves forward. The superintendent presented a special education funding gap of approximately $12.5 million annually that must be absorbed by the operating budget after circuit breaker reimbursements, and said salary stagnation has driven an exodus of teachers: "The gate kind of got opened there — not kind of, it did — and I'm really worried about what's going to happen if we're not able to bring our teachers up to this market." The $48.1 million figure would bring bachelor's step-one teacher salaries from $50,654 to approximately $61,000 in a one-time market adjustment, with the business administrator calling it a reset after which normal annual growth could resume. All Stoneham school bargaining units are currently working without contracts. The committee must deliver its report to the Select Board by September 30.