Andover Public Schools Superintendent Magda Parvey delivered her preliminary budget and a warning to the school committee Thursday: the district will continue to face “budgetary pressure” over the next several years.
“The fiscal challenges we encountered last year are not isolated to one year,” Parvey wrote in a note to APS families and staff Friday morning. “We will continue to face budgetary pressures in FY26 and beyond. Key factors contributing to these challenges include the rising costs of transportation, salaries, special education programming, and utilities.”
The $107.5 million budget Parvey presented Thursday is up $3.9 million, or 3.75 percent, from the current fiscal year’s $103.6 million. The budget will be refined over the next few months before annual town meeting considers it for final approval in April.
“Budgets are complex and not always easy to digest in bite-sized pieces. Projected data on which we rely, such as state aid, enrollment, staffing, special education out-of-district tuitions, can take months to review, adjust, and refine to ensure that we are working with accurate and responsible information,” Parvey said. “As we move forward in this process, it is essential that we continue to work together as a community to navigate the realities of a budget deficit.”
Parvey also offered a timeline for the budget review and approval process:
- Jan. 14: District departments present budget proposals.
- Jan. 23: School committee holds preliminary vote on the FY26 budget allocation in relation to the overall town’s FY26 budget.
- March 6: School committee holds a public hearing and vote on budget.
- March 8: Parvey presents FY26 budget to select board and finance committee at the Tri-Board meeting.
- April 29: Annual town meeting considers budget for final approval.