Danvers School Committee Approves 3.8 Percent Budget Increase For 2026

DANVERS, MA — Danvers Schools Superintendent Dan Bauer presented a cautiously optimistic view about the state of the district budget as he gained School Committee approval for a 3.8 percent increase to $53.9 million for Fiscal Year 2026.

Bauer credited staff work to reallocate resources without the need for layoffs, cost reductions from providing some transportation and other services within the district instead of contracting them out, and the smooth negotiations on a new teacher contract last spring as reasons why he said "we're in a pretty good place" for at least the next year.

"I think we've all seen what's happening in other towns," he told the School Committee on Monday night. "There are districts really facing some financial struggles right now. We're maintaining our services but also really having an eye — because we hope things bounce back next year, they (hire) a new town manager, and hopefully things improve — that we're in a pretty good place.

"The worst would be to really build something that wouldn't be able to be sustained. Then we would be back at the drawing back and that's something we wouldn't want to do."

Bauer said the goal of the budget was to provide level services while increasing support for special education services that would increase support for students and could also potentially lower out-of-district reimbursement costs in the coming years, as well as make decisions in line with the district's strategic plan.

"From where we came in on the first day (of the budget process) to now," Bauer said, "there were a lot of hard decisions that were made. Our team is maximizing (resources) and going above and beyond.

"But I just want to be clear that we have a lot more work to do. Certainly, we've seen improvements. We know that's holding. But we know that if we don't continue to bring improvements by next year it will be a challenge because we still face the same pressures.

"Certainly, the needs of our students haven't changed. But we are providing more things for our staff to support them."

The 3.8 percent increase — about $1.9 million — comes in below the district's 13-year average of 3.87 percent and well below last year's increase of 6.41 percent. It is the lowest percentage increase request since 2022.

"With this, we're being responsible," Bauer said, "which I think is important.

"We know that we have more work to do and that this picture may look very different next year."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)