On April 28, the City’s Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council the Board of Public Education’s recommended $179.3 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year. The Council now will hold a public hearing and first read on the budget on Monday, May 4.

City Councilor April Fournier, chair of the three-member Finance Committee, said after the vote: “Thank you to everyone at the schools for doing this really challenging work in a very … challenging budget year.” She said each budget year presents challenges, “but this one has especially been tricky with the funding reductions at the state and we’re seeing costs go up everywhere.”

Fournier was joined by the two other Finance Committee members, Councilors Wesley Pelletier and Ben Grant, in voting to recommend the budget to the full City Council. The Council, which approves the bottom line of the school budget, will hold a public hearing and first reading of the school budget on Monday, May 4. On Monday, May 18, the Council will hold a second reading and again take public comment on the budget before voting to send a budget to Portland voters for a vote on Tuesday, June 9.

On April 14, the Board voted to recommend to the City Council a $179.3 million fiscal year 2027 (FY27) school budget that consists of a local budget of $167 million and $12.3 million in additional funds. It would raise the school portion of the property tax rate an estimated 5.68%. For the owner of a median-priced $566,600 home, the budget would raise property taxes by $201.60 per year or $16.80 per month.

Superintendent Ryan Scallon said the school budget “reflects months of thoughtful collaboration, careful planning, and a shared commitment to supporting all of our students. This budget represents a balanced approach—one that is fiscally responsible while ensuring we stay the course to success for every student, in alignment with our Strategic Plan.”

Throughout the budget process, Board members considered a series of amendments and reductions to address fiscal challenges. Under the state’s Essential Programs and Services (EPS) formula, Portland’s state funding for FY27 is slated to decrease by $4.1 million, due to lower enrollment and the City’s increasing property values. In its budget, the Board worked to balance addressing reduced enrollment and funding while making strategic investments to maintain the district’s momentum for student success.

The Board’s budget is designed to continue the progress the district has seen over the past two years of implementation of its five-year Strategic Plan: improved outcomes for students in reading and in math, particularly for economically disadvantaged students, multilingual students learning English, and students with IEPs.

Among changes to the budget that the Board approved is an additional $420,000 in revenue for FY27 that is included in the state supplemental budget recently passed by the Legislature. The Board’s recommended budget also includes removing from the budget $250,000 in savings anticipated from the closing of the city-owned Central Office building because the timeline for that is unclear. The budget adds $250,000 in revenue the district plans to realize with more efficient billing for MaineCare services for students. The Board also restored several staff positions, including a half-time Latin teacher and a half-time guidance counselor, both at Portland High School.

The Board’s budget cuts some positions at Central Office and at schools, many of which are vacant. “These are not easy cuts,” the superintendent said. “Behind every line in this budget is a person…who shows up every day for our students and staff.

Learn more on the FY27 Budget page on our website. Watch the City Finance Committee’s April 28 meeting. Also, watch our Budget in Brief video series for a greater understanding of the budget.