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.