NORTHAMPTON — Divisions over Northampton Public Schools funding were on full display this week as residents debated whether conditions in the district have become “dystopian” ahead of a key School Committee budget decision.
Public comment set the stage for the committee’s discussion during a public hearing Monday night over which of Superintendent Portia Bonner’s three budget proposals its members should pursue for fiscal year 2027.
The three options include: a “strong budget” that would restore and expand services across the district; a “level-services” budget that would maintain the district’s current staff and programs and add expenses for special education compliance; and a “city-targeted” budget that would eliminate all new position and expense requests, as well as keep limited programs for students.
The $50.8 million strong budget would be about $6.7 million, or 14%, more than the district received in fiscal year 2026. It would establish or restore 56 positions and bring three positions from part time to full time.
Many parents, and School Committee member Michael Stein in particular, voiced hearty support for the strong budget to address shortcomings for students with individualized education programs (IEPs).
Kristen Elde of Ward 7 advocated for the strong budget to support students with special needs.
“Students are not having their needs met,” Elde said. “Support these kids and their families. Let them know their needs matter. Strong budget please, mayor and city councilors.”
Lisa Modenos of Florence said that one in six children have a developmental disability, and drew attention to the fact that it is currently Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Since the struggles of those who suffer with these disabilities are often invisible, she said these are the children paying the price for a lack of more robust services.
“One in six children has a developmental disability; perhaps for those other five children public school is going great,” she said. “Budgets are moral documents, and our priorities, when we budget for our public schools, tell us where our morality is … Please, please support the strong budget for our children.”
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, however, said the strong budget is “not possible,” and if it moves forward would lead to an override of at least $10 million in upcoming fiscal years.
Other parents who spoke said that while some progress needs to be made, the schools deserve more recognition for providing some of the finest education in the country. As a result, they spoke in favor of the more stable-budget options, noting that other city services also need to be adequately funded.
Josh Silver, who lives in Florence and has two children in high school, said Northampton’s district is “not dystopian.” He added that school funding should not compete with the needs of the Department of Public Works, police, fire and other vital city resources.
“I’d like to see more recognition that our schools are rated in the top 50% of schools in the state that’s rated number one in the nation,” he said. “So we’re doing really well in this city, but meanwhile, let’s take assertive steps to improve IEPs.”
Angela Wack spoke in support of the stable budget, advocating for more thorough evaluation of the school system by the city’s next superintendent, since Bonner is in her last school year at the post.
“We spend over $21,000 a student, and are we getting a good return on our investment? And I know they’re children and we don’t want to talk about them that way, but it is impossible to not talk about that when you’re talking about this kind of money in a city that is strapped for cash,” Wack said. “$21,000 can buy you a private school education, and we are definitely not getting those kinds of results.”
The $47 million level-services budget comes in $2.8 million, or 6.4%, more than the current fiscal year, while the $46.4 million city-targeted budget is $2.2 million, or 5.5%, higher.
Committee questions, debates
School Committee member Robbie Saner Sullivan asked Sciarra what the aftermath would be if the strong budget were to pass.
The mayor noted that the strong budget proposes that the schools would receive $6.7 million over the current fiscal year.
The mayor said that in order to fund the $6.7 million extra outlined in the strong budget, the city would need to dip into reserves for about $6.2 million in fiscal 2027, which in turn would put the city at an estimated deficit of $7.7 million in fiscal 2028.
“In order to cover that $7.7 million in FY28, we couldn’t just use reserves because there wouldn’t be enough, and so then the deficit would be larger the following year,” Sciarra said. “So you’re looking at a minimum of a $10 million override to cover that deficit.”
Stein spoke passionately about why the schools need to be adequately funded.
Giving examples, he said 40 students at the Bridge Street school who qualify for intervention services and reading and are not receiving aid, while 56 math students who qualify for assistance are also left without support.
“That’s pretty offensive posturing for the many, many students who have faced significant challenges in getting their needs met,” said Stein, speaking against those who believe the Northampton schools are on the right track. “There’s a reason why DESE [Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education] had so many findings against us…So I find it really disingenuous when folks want to ignore all of those things and lecture us about how their kids were OK.”
Bonner said none of the budgets proposed would impact compliance at the state and federal level, and that the only new expenses would be to address compliance shortcomings.
“No matter what, we will be in compliance at both the state and federal level,” said Bonner. “Whatever DESE has dictated to us, we will be in compliance with it.”
Sciarra said that every effort is being made to shave city department budgets to leave more room for school funding.
“We’re trying to extract as much as we can to be able to build in as much for the schools as possible,” she said. “We are working on trying to build in some more. I think that I tried to express that the strong budget is just — it’s not possible.”
Toward the end of the three-hour meeting, School Committee member Anat Weisenfreund asked the mayor what the impact would be on children and caregivers if the city-targeted budget is adopted.
Sciarra responded saying, “I’m not in charge of the operation of the schools.”
Bonner took the same question and said that with 80% of the budget being staff, personnel would be the first positions to be cut. Without a boost to funding, class sizes may also increase as a result. Plans and projects would also have to be put on hold.
In the only vote taken at Monday’s meeting, the School Committee approved by a 5-3 vote to require Bonner to provide a “clear and accurate” employee count for the district before the next school budget hearing on April 9.
This vote came on the heels of Stein noting inconsistencies with data being put forth, as the city’s figures don’t match DESE records. Stein projected that Bonner’s numbers may be off by as many as 69 employees.
Sciarra said there was no need for a vote to be taken and that the numbers would be updated. Stein disagreed and said that, “sometimes a vote is necessary.”
The mayor, Amy Martyn, and Sullivan voted no. Weisenfreund, Stein, Valerie Reiss, Cindy Mahoney, and Renika Montgomery-Tamakloe voted in favor. Alena Bartoli abstained, and Tiffany Jewell was absent.
The budget discussion will be picked up again next month. The Budget & Property Subcommittee meets on April 6. The full School Committee meets on April 9.