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Several schools in Allston-Brighton will face cuts in staffing and funding after the Boston Schools Committee unanimously passed a 1.7 billion dollar budget for Boston Public Schools last Wednesday. 

On average, the seven BPS schools in Allston-Brighton will experience a decrease of three percent in total budget allocation, slightly above the two percent overall decrease across the entire district. At the same time, the new budget will reduce full-time employee positions by 6.5 percent in Allston-Brighton schools (compared to a five percent decrease district-wide). 

Total budget allocation (including general and external funding) from Boston Public Schools FY27 Budget as of March 18, 2026. *Mary Lyon K-8 will be reconfigured to a preK-6 school during the 2026-2027 school year.

Three schools — Lyon K-8 school, Edison Elementary School, and Brighton High School — were hit the hardest with staffing cuts with projected cuts of 23 percent, 13 percent and seven percent. 

Full-time employees (FTE) between FY2026 and FY2027 for all seven BPS schools in Allston-Brighton from Boston Public Schools FY27 Budget as of March 18, 2026. *Mary Lyon K-8 will be reconfigured to a preK-6 school during the 2026-2027 school year.

During the March 25 hearing to discuss the FY2027 budget, BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper said that along with rising costs of health benefits, transportation and special education services, declining enrollment due to federal immigration policy and declining birth rates partly contributed to the cuts. 

“These are not choices we make lightly, but they will allow us to protect the services and programs that directly impact and benefit our schools and classrooms,” said Skipper.

However, by Boston Public School’s own estimates, many Allston-Brighton schools are projected to stay the same or increase in enrollment. All but the Edison Elementary School will project an increase in student enrollment. For instance, Lyon K-8 school — which is expected to be reconfigured to a preK-6 school — is projected to increase from 129 to 140, a nearly 10 percent jump.

Despite this, teachers and aides will take the brunt of projected cuts. At Lyon K-8 school, there will be a 30 percent reduction in teachers and substitutes and a 44 percent decrease in the number of aides. 

At Edison Elementary School where enrollment is expected to fall by over eight percent, full-time teaching positions will be cut four or five positions from 58.6 while aide positions will be slashed by almost a third from 28 to 19.1 full-time positions. 

Cuts to teachers and aides will not hit every school, however. Gardner Pilot Academy will maintain roughly the same number of positions as the previous school year. Baldwin Early Learning Pilot Academy will receive a bump in the number of aides. 

Enrolment per school year from 2024 to 2026 from MA Department of Education. Projected estimates from Boston Public Schools Budget FY 2027. *Mary Lyon K-8 will be reconfigured to a preK-6 school during the 2026-2027 school year.

In addition to these changes in budget and staffing, Boston Public Schools will also close the Mary Lyon High School in June 2026 — a decision approved by the Boston School Committee last year.

The final budget now goes to the Boston City Council and Mayor Michelle Wu for approval. The City Council will hold BPS hearings during the budget process, which will take place from April to June. 

Council members will convene in early June to approve a final city budget.