On Tuesday, April 14, the Board of Public Education voted to recommend a $179.3 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year to the City Council. “This important milestone reflects months of thoughtful collaboration, careful planning, and a shared commitment to supporting all of our students,” said Superintendent Ryan Scallon. “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.”

The fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget 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 percent. 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.

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 that the Legislature passed last week. 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.

The Council, which approves the bottom line of the school budget, will refer the budget to its Finance Committee. That City Finance Committee is expected to review the Board’s budget and vote on April 28 to recommend a school budget to the full Council. In May, the Council will hold two public hearings on the budget before voting to send the budget to Portland voters for a vote on Tuesday, June 9. Learn more on the FY27 Budget page on our website. Watch the Board’s April 14 meeting.