Funding Saugus Public Schools

Superintendent’s proposed FY 2025 spending plan is $2.7-million more than current budget

By Mark E. Vogler

The 2025 fiscal year spending plan proposed by School Superintendent Michael Hashem is nearly $2.7 million more than the $31.6-million operating budget approved at last May’s Annual Town Meeting. “Most of the additional budgetary costs are associated with all three union contractual agreements, adding $1.4-million dollars to maintain current staffing levels,” Hashem noted in his budget message.

In his budget message to the School Committee, Hashem also stressed the fiscal challenge because of the elimination of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds from the federal government. “This budget reflects the needs of the district to move forward, as well as addressing a transition from using ESSER funding to supplement the working budget,” Hashem wrote in his budget message to School Committee members.

“This is the first budget cycle since the pandemic where additional emergency financial support is no longer available to school districts,” he said.

Hashem, who was hired on Nov. 2 and signed to a three-year contract through June 30, 2027, after the firing of School Superintendent Erin McMahon, was expected to make a formal presentation of the budget at last night’s School Committee meeting.

A public hearing on the superintendent’s proposed $34.3-million budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 18 in the School Committee room. Committee members will then vote on the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 after the public has had a chance to comment. The School Committee must submit its budget to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree by Jan. 29.

“The superintendent’s budget seems to focus on direct student services, the needs of the district and works to retain and recruit qualified educators at all levels,” School Committee Member Ryan Fisher told The Saugus Advocate Wednesday night.

“I’m looking forward to his presentation on Thursday,” he said. The meeting took place six hours after The Saugus Advocate deadline. The newspaper reached out to all five committee members for comment on the budget, which they received on Monday. But only Fisher responded.

School Committee members usually rally behind in support of a superintendent’s budget request, which traditionally has been reduced in the overall budget that the town manager submits to Town Meeting. Town Manager Crabtree is expected to present his budget to the selectmen at a meeting set for Feb. 27. At that time, it will be known at least publicly how much of a gap exists between the superintendent’s proposed school budget and the town manager’s spending plan for education.

The price of losing ESSER

Hashem emphasized that the Saugus Public Schools needed to include in its operating budget several positions funded previously by ESSER. The $122-billion ESSER money awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic marked the largest-ever one-time federal investment in education. The money enabled school districts to address the impacts of COVID-19 on students.

“With the end of pandemic funding sources such as ESSER, in order to keep our current levels of services, costs will need to shift from grants to our working budget,” Hashem noted in his budget message.

For instance, Hashem identified in his proposed budget several staff positions that were previously funded from ESSER. They include a full-time elementary math instructional specialist ($111,076), a full-time secondary math instructional specialist ($103,198), a full-time computer technician ($60,000) and a half-time English Language Learning instructional specialist ($49,849) to be used district-wide. Hashem’s proposed budget also includes a full-time music teacher ($56,159) at the Belmonte STEAM Academy that was previously funded by ESSER. The five positions once funded by ESSER would account for an increase in personnel costs of more than $380,000.

Hashem noted that the cost of special education continues to rise. Though costs have been kept in check in this area by school officials, it remains an area where funds are necessary.

“Our district has gone through a series of challenging transitions over the last five years, and I’m working with the School Committee, leadership, and all stakeholders to provide stability for our district,” said Hashem. He had served 10 months as acting superintendent while McMahon was on paid administrative leave during an investigation into her alleged misconduct.

“The budget was developed with the district’s need for stability in mind. It is also directly related to our District Improvement Plan and the recently adopted five-year Strategic Plan. As is the case with all school systems, our students and their needs are the main priority,” he said.