School Committee Approves $58 Million FY 26 Budget

Reading, MA — By a vote of 5-0, the School Committee voted on Thursday to approve the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2026 budget of $58,491,591. This reflects a 3.9% increase over the FY 2025 budget. Included in this amount are $6,311,716 in accommodated costs and $150,000 from the town as a final investment for the realization of full-day kindergarten for all Reading families.

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Milaschewski referred to the budget as a “level service” budget. The final approved budget amount falls within Finance Committee guidelines for spending in FY 2026.

The School Committee was formally presented with the budget at its January 16 meeting and held a lightly-attended public hearing on the budget on January 23. School Committee chair Thomas Wise indicated, “[The committee] is comfortable where we stand.”

The budget will be presented to Town Manager Matt Kraunelis, who will include it with the FY 2026 municipal budget for Finance Committee review and comment. Town Meeting will vote to approve the budget in April.

Police Chief David Clark shared that School Resource Officer (SRO) Brian Lewis has been promoted to detective and will be moved into other duties. He also shared that Lewis’s dog, Officer Cooper, has been promoted as well. Clark informed the committee that the position for a new SRO has been posted and that a joint selection committee will be formed to review potential candidates. When questioned by School Committee member Shawn Brandt, Clark notified the committee that he would seek an internal candidate for the position. Lewis, who has been an SRO for eight years, will stay in the role through the end of the school year to aid with the transition. The new SRO will be assigned a new comfort dog officer when the time is appropriate.

The committee also reviewed the draft plan for the 2025-2026 school calendar. Potential changes include moving the autumn in-service day from November to October and moving middle and high school early release days back to Wednesdays.

While welcoming the change for the in-service day, Committee member Erin Gaffin suggested a different date that could accommodate a four-day weekend for families. She also suggested that December 22 and 23 could be listed as off days and that these days might be better served at the end of the year. Wise noted this adjustment would prevent the possibility of the last day of school being on a Monday. Brandt also suggested that middle, high, and elementary early release days should be combined to aid families with children on multiple levels.

Milaschewski thanked the committee for its input and shared that their ideas would be reviewed with the teacher’s union.

The School Committee adjourned at 7:55 pm.