Worcester School Committee to Review FY27 Budget, Grants, Donations, and Policy Updates
By Jerry Filmore
The Worcester School Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, June 4, with several major items on the agenda, including continued discussion of the Worcester Public Schools FY27 budget, donations, grants, recognitions, and policy updates.
The meeting will include a 4 p.m. budget discussion, a 5:30 p.m. executive session, and a 7 p.m. regular meeting. The regular meeting will be held in the Esther Howland Chamber at Worcester City Hall, with a virtual option available for members of the public.
One of the biggest items on the agenda is the Worcester Public Schools FY27 budget. According to the agenda packet, the total general fund budget is listed at $557,429,649.
Budget and Finance Items
The committee is scheduled to consider the FY27 Worcester Public Schools budget. The agenda also includes approval of grants and finance items, including a Title III, Part A: Immigrant Children and Youth Grant in the amount of $352,159.
The meeting packet also includes a sequence of accounts for the FY27 budget, covering major cost areas such as teacher salaries, health insurance, transportation, special education tuition, building utilities, facilities, instructional materials, and other district expenses.
Donations to Worcester Public Schools
The consent agenda includes several proposed donations to benefit Worcester Public Schools students and programs.
Items listed for consideration include smoothie equipment from the New England Dairy Council to benefit Burncoat High School and South High School, a $5,856.47 donation from Phi Sigma Sigma to support Belmont Street School’s after-school programs and library, and t-shirts and baseball hats from Nick Chacharone of Chacharone Properties to support the WPS Middle School Sports initiative.
The agenda also includes a donation from Councilor Satya Mitra for 50 Worcester Red Sox tickets for Worcester Public School students.
Student and School Recognitions
The agenda includes recognition of the Burncoat Quadrivium Honors Choir for earning a Gold Medal and third-place finish after being elevated into a higher competition division. According to the agenda, the choir earned an average score of 93 out of 100.
As a result, the choir has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in 2027 and 2028. The choir has also been invited to perform the National Anthem at a Boston Red Sox game on July 18, 2026.
Other recognitions include Principal Dr. Brenda Diggs of the Transition Program and Holy Cross College students Kya Roumimper Ascani, Delaney Walch, Lily Jaramillo, and Lauren Yee for their work sponsoring “Our Shining Students Gala.” South High’s student-led literary magazine, The Apricot Journal, is also listed for recognition after being named a REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English.
Program and Policy Updates
The agenda includes several general business items related to district programs and policies.
One item requests an update on the Exploring Aviation career program, including enrollment numbers, participating schools, and possible expansion. Another item focuses on plans for the Transitions Program to move out of the Fanning Building for next September.
The agenda includes a recommendation to refer the digital hall pass item to administration. The item asks the district to explore the cost and feasibility of implementing a digital hall pass system in all secondary schools, similar to one being piloted at Worcester Technical High School.
Policy items include a review of Policy JKAA, which covers physical restraint of students, to align with new state regulations. The agenda states that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires the policy and accompanying procedures to be in place by August 17, 2026.
The committee is also scheduled to review Policy JICFB, the district’s bullying prevention policy, as part of its required biennial review.
Public Participation
The meeting will include time for public comment. Members of the public may address the committee for two minutes on items before the committee. Speakers may participate in person or remotely.
The agenda notes that members of the public who wish to speak in a language other than English should notify the Clerk of the Committee in advance so an interpreter can be provided.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
Project / Topic: Worcester School Committee June 4, 2026 meeting preview
Current Status: Meeting scheduled
Key Details: The agenda includes a 4 p.m. budget discussion, 5:30 p.m. executive session, and 7 p.m. regular meeting at Worcester City Hall with a virtual option available.
Main Items: FY27 Worcester Public Schools budget, Title III Immigrant Children and Youth Grant, donations to WPS programs, Burncoat Quadrivium Honors Choir recognition, digital hall pass discussion, physical restraint policy update, and bullying prevention policy review.
Location: Esther Howland Chamber, Worcester City Hall
Organizations Involved: Worcester School Committee and Worcester Public Schools
Timeline: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Primary Sources: Worcester School Committee June 4, 2026 agenda and agenda packet
What We Do Not Yet Know: Final votes on the FY27 budget and agenda items, whether any items will be held or referred, and what public comments or committee discussion may occur during the meeting.
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