Arlington Schools Outline $5.6 Million in Cuts if March Override Fails

ARLINGTON -- January 8, 2026, Arlington schools face $5.6 million in cuts and potential program elimination if a March 28 override fails. Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Homan presented the School Committee with a detailed two-and-a-half-hour reduction plan at the January 8 meeting, warning that level funding, the same dollar figure as FY26, equates to a $5 million to $6 million real-dollar loss due to rising costs. Suggested cuts include consolidating central office and curriculum leadership roles, eliminating nearly 30 full-time equivalents in administration, reducing social workers and counselors by formula, raising middle school class sizes, reinstating athletic fees at roughly $433 per student per sport, and restoring instrumental music fees at approximately $365 per student. Committee Chair William Thielman noted that elementary librarians cut after a 2003 override failure were not restored until fiscal year 2026, more than 20 years later. Projected deficits reach $18.9 million in FY28 and exceed $24 million in FY29, with Dr. Homan saying a failed override would trigger immediate planning for school redistricting and possible closure.