Brookline School Committee News

The School Committee was presented with an FY26 Budget Update that included information about new revenues available through the Town/School Partnership, and a broad overview of the FY26 school department budget build. Members discussed cost-of-living adjustments for staff, and the cost for ‘steps and lanes’ (educators moving up on the salary scale for years of service and/or completion of additional graduate coursework). It is projected that after adjustments, grant shifts, and non-personnel expenses, minus the available new revenue, the projected deficit will be approximately $8.2 million. This projected deficit will have to be balanced through the FY26 budget development process. The FY26 Initial Budget Request will be presented to the School Committee at the February 6 meeting, and a Public Hearing on the FY26 Budget is scheduled for the February 13 meeting.

Every year, proposed changes to the BHS Course Catalog are reviewed and discussed in detail by the Curriculum Subcommittee, followed by final approval by the full School Committee. At the January 23 meeting, the School Committee approved the addition of the following courses to the 2025-2026 Course Catalog: Construction: A Tour Through the Trades (Career and Technology Education Department); Contemporary United States History (Social Studies Department); and Justice in Action: Unpacking Crime, Law and Consequence (interdisciplinary course in the English and Social Studies Departments).

Several of the upcoming School Committee meetings will include FY2026 budget-related agenda items:

• Thursday, February 6 (regular meeting, to include a presentation of the FY2026 Initial Budget Request)

• Monday, February 10 (Annual Meeting with Legislators)

• Thursday, February 13 (regular meeting, to include the Public Hearing on the FY2026 Budget)

• Wednesday, March 12 (regular meeting, to include continued budget deliberation)

• Thursday, March 20 (2-hour meeting focused on the FY2026 Budget, to include continued budget deliberation)

• Thursday, March 27 (regular meeting)

The schedule of School Committee meetings is available on the Town's agenda center. As each meeting approaches, the agenda and supporting documents are uploaded. Members of the public are welcome to join any meeting in-person (on the 5th floor of Brookline Town Hall) or watch/listen remotely (through Brookline Interactive Group's broadcast or live stream).

The Brookline School Committee has six active subcommittees. Here is a snapshot of upcoming subcommittee meetings.

• Policy Subcommittee: Monday, January 27, 5:00pm, Town Hall and Zoom

• Finance Subcommittee: Wednesday, February 5, 5:00pm, Zoom

• Policy Subcommittee: Tuesday, February 11, 5:00pm, Town Hall and Zoom

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Subcommittee: Wednesday, February 12, 5:00pm, Town Hall and Zoom

• Curriculum Subcommittee: Tuesday, February 25, 4:00pm, Town Hall and Zoom

• Finance Subcommittee: Wednesday, February 26, 5:00pm, Zoom