AGAWAM — The School Committee adopted a new $53.5 million budget for Agawam schools without any discussion or without any public comment following an open hearing on April 29.
At the hearing, Superintendent Sheila Martin gave a brief overview of the budget that will increase school spending by just over $1.6 million for the 2025-26 school year. No one came forward to speak in favor or against the budget or make any comments at the hearing that began at 6:30 p.m. — a half hour before the regular meeting.
Once the hearing ended, the committee voted on the budget. Six of the seven committee members voted in favor. Mayor Christopher Johnson, who serves as chair of the committee, abstained from the vote.
The adopted budget is unchanged from the preliminary budget presented to the committee and the public at the committee’s April 15 meeting. The budget for fiscal year 2026 now must be approved by the City Council and incorporated into the town budget.
The FY26 budget of $53,562,979 is an increase of 3.06% from the FY25 budget. This is less than the increase from the FY24 budget to the FY25 budget, which was 3.78%.
Unlike many surrounding school districts, Agawam’s new budget doesn’t include any new user fees, hike existing fees or cuts to staff or programs. Martin said the budget continues the district’s commitment to make decisions for students based on data collection and analysis for use in instructional as well as social and emotional interventions.
“With this budget we continue to support the evolving needs of our students. The budget also includes additional fixed costs, such as degree changes, stipends, an increase in transportation and an increase in career technical education tuition,” said Martin.
According to Martin, the FY26 budget doesn’t eliminate any programs while continuing a commitment to make decisions for students based on data collection and analysis for use in instructional as well as social and emotional interventions.
There is an increase of $235,707 in the districtwide software budget as well as a $74,207 boost — 3.5% — to transportation costs by the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative (LPEVC), which provides bus transportation. There is also an increase of $120,933 by LPVEC and Westfield Technical Academy for vocational/career technical education tuition for Agawam students.
The initial budget increase — which includes cost-of-living adjustments, longevity payments, degree changes and steps for teachers that was just over $2 million. But it was cut by $372,501, reducing the increase to a little over $1.6 million.
The budget also includes assumptions for salaries since contracts with teachers, assistant principals, paraprofessional and secretaries are all in negotiations this year. The largest portion of the budget — more than 81% — is to fund salaries. The budget allots $43,701,610 for salaries.
Supplies and services make up the remainder of the budget. Those costs increased by nearly $600,000 for the FY26 budget. According to Martin all areas of the budget were reviewed for possible reductions in order to be “fiscally responsible.” Reductions included $18,822 to building-based budgets, $3,679 to information technology and $350,000 to Special Services tuitions.
Other budget highlights include:
- A “priority focus” on academic needs of students with an emphasis on early literacy, including “high dosage” tutoring and increased engagement with families.
- Maintaining an appropriate student-teacher ratio, providing educators with the embedded professional development, access to instructional coaching and collaboration.
- Support systems to help staff meet the ever-growing and diverse needs of students, through differentiated personalized instruction.
- Maintaining high expectations for all students while providing the supports needed for them to be successful.
Committee member Wendy Rua, chair of the committee’s budget/finance subcommittee, said after the vote that the budget was built to support the district’s newly developed strategic plan. One of the fundamental key priorities in developing the budget, she said, included no elimination of programs, and maintaining a strong student to teacher ratio.
Federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds that had been provided to local districts for the past several years ended in September 2024. Rua said the funds have been “smartly and strategically” used by the district to implement mental health supports and needed technology in its schools.
Rua said Martin and her staff showed fiscal responsibility with this budget and gained support from the School Committee early on. “With other districts facing budget shortfalls and potential teacher layoffs, I’m very proud to say that Agawam is not on that list,” Rua said.
Committee members A.J, Christopher and Michael Perry also served on the subcommittee with Rua. They provided input into the development of the school budget.
Residents can see the school budget on cable Channel 15. It’s also available for the public to view at the Agawam Public Library, the city clerk’s office at Town Hall and the superintendent’s office at the AJHS. It also will be posted on the district’s website: agawamed.org.
