The town of Hamilton-Wenham has been abuzz with talk of the school’s budget override and whether or not to vote in approval of it. It is essential for both the school and the town’s well-being that the override passes.
The proposed budget for the fiscal year of 2027 is $41,609,785, an increase of $2,371,946 from the fiscal year of 2026. The budget cites an increase in cost of living expenses for employees and increased maintenance costs for aging buildings as their main reasons for the major increase in funds needed.
In order to pass the override, both the towns of Hamilton and Wenham need to vote to override Proposition 2.5. Proposition 2.5 in the state of Massachusetts guarantees that a city’s or town’s property taxes may not increase by more than 2.5% per year(I don’t know what this means but this could just be me); and since the funds required for the proposed 2027 budget would result in a 6.19% increase year-over-year in funds needed from the town of Hamilton, and a 8.14% year-over-year increase in funds needed from the town of Wenham, which would increase property taxes by more than 2.5% in both towns, the school district is requesting an override of Proposition 2.5.
Without the override, more teachers will be laid off from the high school. The consequences of this are increased class sizes, fewer elective options, and fewer opportunities for AP and Honors classes. Many student-specific interest areas will be cut, leaving only core classes. Teachers who are not laid off will need to shoulder the burden of the classes that were previously covered by other teachers, spreading their resources and attention thin between more classes that are full of more students.
The school board has taken steps to reduce the proposed budget for the year of 2027, through a 5% decrease in district contributions to athletics user fees, laying off 7 full-time instructional staff members, and deferring scheduled technology purchases, reducing the proposed budget by a total of $606,000. The district also plans to cut one late bus for the middle and high school, reducing forecasted transportation costs.
If the Hamilton-Wenham community does not pass the budget override for the fiscal year of 2027, 26 staff members districtwide will be laid off, in addition to the 7 staff members who are already being cut in the proposed budget. These layoffs will target teachers who have not reached “professional” status, which requires 3 years of service in the district, so many newer teachers the district has hired to meet recent staffing needs will be let go.
Furthermore, there is a projected increase in new students in the elementary schools next year. Teacher layoffs will increase class sizes and reduce available resources for academic support, counseling, and other student services. During the formative years of elementary school, students need 1:1 interactions with teachers to ensure they are supported in their learning, but laying off staff will prevent schools from meeting students’ needs.
Decreasing support services for students who need academic, behavioral, or counseling support can harm members of the school community who need this support. The district will be forced to decrease district contributions to athletics user fees even more than already required, resulting in increased costs for the many families who participate in school athletics.
A group of Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School students has recognized this need for the override to pass, and has protested in support of the override by creating an informational Instagram account, picketing in front of the high school, and speaking at the town meetings in support of the override. This group of students exemplifies the necessity for the override to pass in order to continue to support the education of driven, motivated students such as these.
Hamilton-Wenham Regional High is ranked among the best 40 public schools in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe. The Massachusetts Department of Education also provides the statistics that the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District exceeds state standards for standardized testing results. This academic excellence is a huge draw for young families moving to the towns. With a decrease in funding to the school system, property values in town may decline, meaning an investment in the school district directly translates to an investment in the town itself.
Opponents of this override may cite the unreasonable increase in property taxes, which would make the cost of living difficult for lower-income residents of Hamilton and Wenham. It is important to recognize and validate these concerns; however, if the override does not pass in Hamilton-Wenham, this will also lead to increased costs for families, including costs for transportation and athletics that the district would usually cover.
The vote to support the override passed at both the Hamilton town meeting on April 11th, and the Wenham town meeting on April 9th, but it still needs to pass at the polls on April 16th. Those who are able to vote should go vote in support of the override.
