Boston Schools Cut Programs as Enrollment Drops, Budget Tightens

Boston Public Schools approved a plan to close four schools and merge two others, affecting approximately 1,300 students at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, due to declining enrollment and aging facilities.

Enrollment Trends and Facility Conditions

Declining enrollment combined with the state of older buildings created the conditions that led district leaders to review operations across multiple sites. The specific schools identified include Excel High, Community Academy, Mary Lyon Pilot High, and Dever Elementary. These steps follow patterns of population movement within the city that reduced student counts at certain locations over time.

Budget Framework for FY26

The City’s FY26 education budget allocates $1.58 billion for Boston Public Schools and $292 million for charter schools. Within this framework, Boston Public Schools will cut over 400 staff positions, including 265 teaching and 161 paraprofessional roles, with more than half of the losses tied to school closures and grade reconfigurations. The allocations also direct new investments of $10 million for inclusive practices and $4 million to support multilingual learners and new arrivals.

Staff Reductions and Inclusion Goals

Concerns have been raised that budget cuts eliminating over 100 classroom aides could affect Boston's goal of having all students with disabilities learn in inclusive, shared classrooms by 2027. These staffing changes sit alongside the broader reductions already linked to the school reconfiguration plan.

Agreement with State Officials

Boston and state education officials reached a deal to improve the district and avoid a state receivership label. The agreement includes an independent safety audit by August 15 and a new complaint resolution system for parents. This arrangement provides the immediate next steps for district oversight and parent engagement while the closures and staffing adjustments move forward.