School Committee Narrowly Passes $156M Budget
Chelsea's School Committee narrowly approved a $156,248,491 FY27 budget, 5-1-3, after weeks of public outcry over staff cuts.
School Committee · Meeting of March 26, 2026
Chelsea's School Committee narrowly approved a $156,248,491 FY27 budget, 5-1-3, after weeks of public outcry over staff cuts. Vice President Vanessa Mendoza-Mercado of the Chelsea Teachers Union said the budget eliminates about 57.5 positions, "a whole school worth" of student-facing staff, while teacher Linda Wallace said nine elementary classroom teachers and half the special education liaison staff at the Wright School complex were cut. Committee member Small registered the sole "present" vote, saying the process hadn't met "the speed of trust." Student Aileen Herrera-Erazo said cutting a counselor who "helped save a student's life" was "not a staffing choice" but "a statement about priorities." The city had added $2 million mid-process; the committee also voted 9-0 to forego school choice and unanimously approved the 2026-2027 school calendar.
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Source: the School Committee meeting of March 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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