Budget Committee Approves 2026-27 Operating Budget

EDITORIAL NOTE: This story updated on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The SPS Board of Education approved the 2026-27 Adopted Budget during its June 8 meeting.

On Thursday, May 7, the Budget Committee approved the 2026-27 operating budget. The approved budget reflects months of planning, analysis, and community engagement as the District works to address a projected $7.9 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year. 

During the discussions, the Budget Committee focused on the difficult financial decisions required to address declining enrollment, rising operational and personnel costs, and statewide funding costs. District leaders highlighted that the budget was developed with extensive community input and prioritized protecting classroom instruction and maintaining the student experience.

“Developing this budget has required careful consideration and difficult decisions,” said Acting Superintendent Jodi O’Mara. “At its core, this budget is about people: our students, our families, and the educators and staff who support them each day. It is also a call to action. While we have worked diligently to align resources with our priorities, a significant gap remains between what our students need and what the current funding level provides.”

To meet budget requirements and align staffing with declining enrollment, Springfield Public Schools must implement significant staffing reductions compared to the 2025–26 adopted budget.

“These reductions carry meaningful consequences,” O’Mara said. “They will affect class sizes, student supports, and our overall operational capacity. While we have worked to prioritize classroom instruction and minimize the impact on students, reductions of this scale will be felt across the system.”

Proposed staffing reductions include:

• Certified Staff: Reduction of 60.5 FTE
  • Includes 36.0 FTE reduced mid-year  and 12.5 FTE reallocated out of the general fund to other funding sources.
  • The total number of certified staff reductions proposed in the 2026-27 budget  from current staffing levels is 12 FTE.
• Classified Staff: Reduction of 22.6 FTE
  • Includes 12.6 FTE reduced following collective bargaining agreement in 2025-26.
  • The total number of classified staff reductions proposed in the 2026-27 budget from current staffing levels is 10 FTE
• Administrative Staff: Reduction of 13.5 FTE
  • Includes 2.0 FTE reduced following collective bargaining agreement in 2025-26.
  • The total number of administrative reductions proposed in the 2026-27 budget from current staffing levels is 11.5 FTE.

These reductions reflect a combination of:

• Adjustments already made during the 2025–26 school year
• Enrollment-driven staffing changes
• Proposed reductions for the 2026–27 school year

All reductions are measured against the 2025–26 adopted budget baseline.

The Board will hold a public hearing regarding the budget on June 8, 2026. The Board must adopt a balanced budget by June 30, 

The Budget Committee consists of five community members and five Board members. They can meet up to three times in May to approve the budget. However, they have approved the budget three out of the last four years during their first meeting.