Amherst School Budget Process and Timeline

Jennifer Shiao’s School Committee Blog

Editor’s note: . Jennifer Shiao is a member of the Amherst School Committee. Her original posts can be found here.  An archive of her blog posts in The Indy can be found here.

We are in the midst of budget season for the 2025-26 fiscal year (FY26), and I wanted to share some information about the process and timeline of developing and approving the budget for the Amherst Elementary School District. (This does not apply to the Regional School District, which has a related but different process.)

What Has Happened Already

12/20/24 Amherst Town Council sent budget “guidance” to the town manager, ARPS superintendent, and library director. This guidance indicated that the Town Council could support a 3.5% increase in operating budgets for FY26. (The original guidance was 3.0%, and then it was revised to 3.5%.) This works out to $27.9 million for the Amherst elementary schools for FY26.

Jan-Feb The superintendent and district staff developed a budget proposal that meets that guidance. For a “level services” (i.e. no cuts or additions) budget, the Amherst elementary district needs $29.5 million. The difference between this and the guidance number means that $1.56 million needs to be eliminated in order to meet the town’s guidance. The superintendent developed a proposal that would cut $1.56 million in spending (mostly by cutting positions and programs).

2/27/25 Public Budget Hearing This was the first time the superintendent’s proposed budget was presented to the public and the School Committee, along with an explanation of what the proposed cuts would mean for students, staff, and the district. The purpose of this meeting was to get input from the public. In this meeting, many members of the public spoke about their opposition to the budget cuts, and urged the Amherst School Committee to reject the proposed budget.

What Would Happen Next?

3/18/25 The Amherst School Committee will meet to discuss the proposed budget as a committee for the first time. At this meeting, School Committee members can ask questions and give input to the superintendent on whether or not they can support the proposed budget. For example, School Committee members can indicate to the superintendent that they could only support a budget with specific elements added back in. It is expected that the superintendent will take the School Committee’s input and work with her staff to revise the budget proposal. 

3/26 or 3/27/35 The Amherst School Committee will meet again with the intention of voting on the revised budget proposal. The superintendent would present the revised budget proposal, and the committee would discuss and deliberate on it before voting. The School Committee CAN vote a budget amount that is higher than the 3.5% ($27.9 million) guidance provided by the Town Council.

By April 1 Per section 5.4 of the Amherst Home Rule Charter (the bylaws that dictate how our town is governed), the Amherst School Committee needs to submit the approved budget to the town manager by April 1. According to the charter, the town manager then submits a proposed town budget to the Town Council by May 1. The charter indicates that the municipal, school, and library components of the budget shall be “determined by the Town Manager.” This means that the manager is not obligated to use the amount approved by the School Committee. The manager is permitted, per the charter, to decide what amount to include for the school district in the town budget.

Town Council Next Steps Per the charter, the Town Council would immediately refer the town manager’s proposed budget to the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee would then hold a public hearing on the town budget (with at least 10 days’ notice). Within 30 days of referral, the Finance Committee would make a recommendation about the budget to the Town Council.

By June 30 The Town Council needs to approve a town budget by June 30. Per the charter, the Town Council cannot increase the total amount of the budget or any line item. For example, if the town manager’s proposed budget includes only the 3.5% increase for the Amherst elementary district (thus forcing the district to make drastic budget cuts), the Town Council is not permitted to increase the amount for the school district. The Town Council CAN vote down the town manager’s proposed budget. If the Town Council does reject the town manager’s budget, my understanding is that the town manager would need to re-submit a budget (either the same one, or a revised budget) and attempt to get it passed again. This would continue until a budget is approved.

This blog reflects my own views about the Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees – it does not represent the view of the committees, the district, or the superintendent. This blog complies with Open Meeting Law, as long as a quorum of School Committee members do not engage in deliberations in the comments. Comments are welcome. I may respond to comments, but I will not respond to all comments. Sign up here using the “follow blog via email” form to be notified when I post a new entry.  You can email me at jennifer@jenniferamherst.org.