Gloucester School Committee adopts $55.8 million FY27 budget, restores three GHS positions

School Committee · Meeting of June 24, 2026

Gloucester School Committee unanimously adopts a $55.8 million FY27 budget while restoring three cut positions. The $55,778,897 budget, a 2.86 percent increase over FY26, was approved at the June 24 meeting at Gloucester High School after the Mayor and City Council provided a $300,000 funding increase that allowed the district to restore a science teacher, a social studies teacher, and a cabinet design teacher at GHS, all previously slated for elimination. Outgoing Superintendent Ben Lemus, attending his last official School Committee meeting after more than six years, told the committee the district had closed a gap that once stood at $1.35 million.

Two committee members voted yes while describing the outcome as "disheartening" and calling it the third consecutive year of significant cuts. A parent speaking during public comment drew sharp attention to reduced Advanced Placement offerings at GHS, saying her son's AP course load had been cut from five to three due to a teacher retirement and a master schedule conflict, and that the family was told to look at dual enrollment at Southern New Hampshire University, "that does not seem okay," one committee member said. The committee also approved a revised physical restraint and seclusion policy required by new DESE regulations, two grants totaling $53,184, and a letter to the state legislative conference committee supporting retirement-plus pension legislation, copied to Governor Maura Healey.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report, 3,806 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of June 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.