Manchester-Essex School Committee Trims FY27 Budget to $33.7 Million

ESSEX — March 3, 2026 — Manchester-Essex School Committee amends FY27 budget to $33,737,241, lowering growth rate to 3.5 percent. The committee voted 6-0 Tuesday to revise its previously approved fiscal year 2027 operating budget after the district's health insurance premium renewal came in at 8.4 percent above last year's rate, well below the roughly 14 percent increase that had been budgeted, freeing approximately $241,000. Finance Director Michelle presented three scenarios; the committee rejected both a hold-steady approach and a deeper cut option, settling on a middle path that lowers town assessments — Manchester by 3.33 percent, Essex by 3.63 percent — while partially restoring the district's Other Post-Employment Benefits contribution from $300,000 toward roughly $425,000. Member Jake noted that even the maximum assessment reduction on the table would not spare Essex from a potential override, citing a figure the town had shared of just over $200,000 as the relevant threshold. The committee also unanimously approved a new district newsletter and heard that 204 applicants have sought school-choice seats for the coming year, with a broader policy review of school-choice strategy planned for the fall.