Hanover School Committee Considers Override for FY26 Budget

Members discuss potential to restore lost positions, stress need for early public engagement

HANOVER, MA - July 17 - The Hanover School Committee is weighing the possibility of advocating for another override to address budget shortfalls and potentially restore some of the 36 positions lost in last year's cuts.

During a mid-summer planning session on July 17, committee members discussed pursuing an override for the fiscal year 2026 budget. The committee plans to work with district leadership to determine the feasibility and approach.

"If we want to see an override proposed, we have to create a command signal for that," said committee chair Pete Miraglia. "All the other town departments can do it too. And they can all be ignored. But if we don't create a signal that says, hey, we need more resources, it's never going to happen. So it starts with us in terms of that."

Committee member Libby Corbo raised key questions about the district's budgetary baseline: "Are we operating under the understanding that that's our new baseline? Like we are now. That's how we are going forward. Those positions are not coming back. Should we be trying to come up with a plan that at least gets some of those positions back?"

The committee agreed to have its budget subcommittee work with district administration to develop a recommendation on whether to pursue an override. This recommendation will then be brought to the full committee for discussion and a decision.

Members stressed the importance of early and frequent communication with the public about budget issues. Jaclyn Jorgenson suggested capitalizing on increased parent engagement following last year's budget challenges: "Taking that momentum that we have of parents being involved now, being engaged in the conversation, being concerned or interested, and let's go with it. Keep that engagement and that opportunity for questions and comments and conversation open."

The committee discussed holding budget forums earlier in the school year to gather public input and provide information about the budget process. They also plan to coordinate more closely with other town committees on budget timelines and priorities.

"There's going to be more complexity with the town this time around. Given the free cash usage last year and need for it this year. So yeah, it's going to be quite a lot more coordination," Miraglia noted.

The potential override discussion comes as the district grapples with the loss of 36 positions following the failure of last year's override attempt. Committee members acknowledged the increased pressure on administrators, teachers, and staff to do more with less in the coming school year.

In addition to budget planning, the committee discussed other priorities for the upcoming year, including policy updates on issues like artificial intelligence, cell phone use in classrooms, and Title IX compliance. They also explored ways to better support teachers and staff given the reduced staffing levels.

The committee plans to refine its goals and priorities in collaboration with district leadership at future meetings. No formal decisions were made at the July 17 session, which was intended as a brainstorming and planning meeting.