The Chelsea School Committee on March 24 approved a $150,891,360 general fund budget for fiscal year 2025–26 by a 7–0 roll call vote with two members absent.

The vote came after a string of public comments from students and community members who urged the committee to reallocate money toward comprehensive sexual-health education, violence-prevention classes and stronger teacher staffing. A public commenter speaking during the meeting urged the committee to "prioritize the well-being of our youth through education, understanding, and support," saying comprehensive sex education is "not simply about teaching students the biological aspects" but about "fostering a culture of consent, respect, and understanding of personal boundaries."

The committee's discussion focused on what the approved document commits the district to and where there is flexibility. Doctor Abeyta, the superintendent, said the board was approving the overall budget amount and that “in those larger line items is where there's flexibility.” She gave examples: the budget contains a security and buildings-and-grounds line item that can be adjusted and a mental-health-and-wellness budget that could fund training or classes, including expanded health education.

Doctor Abeyta and other committee members also clarified that some recent building projects — including the Chelsea High School cafeteria renovation — were paid from restricted COVID stimulus dollars and therefore could not be redirected to other uses. "That funding actually came from the former city manager and was earmarked ... during COVID," a district official said, noting restricted uses for that money. The committee noted a security line item of about $1,000,000 as one example of where internal adjustments could be made to add security staff or reallocate funds for programming if the board directed staff to do so.

Students and student representatives used public comment and committee time to raise other budget-related concerns. Andrea Mendez, a sophomore at Chelsea High School, described a promised meeting with principal Obed Morales that did not take place and said the library was closed for part of the day, leaving students feeling unheard. Michael Sanabrio, a senior at Chelsea High School, said the district had prioritized additional security staff and facility spending over teacher pay and classroom support, and described overcrowded Advanced Placement classes and frequent teacher absences.

Other student speakers asked the committee to fund violence-prevention programs, saying recent incidents — including a campus intruder and student deaths referenced by speakers — make such programming urgent. Student representative updates at the meeting included academic and extracurricular notes such as MCAS testing dates, the spring musical and AP mock exams.

Committee members said the public comments were important to the budget conversation and urged students to continue engaging through school-site councils and upcoming meetings. One member said she would vote to approve the budget but urged students to keep advocating so school-level and district-level priorities can change during the year. The motion to approve the recommended line-item amounts passed by roll call: Miss Hernandez (yes), Mister O'Regan (yes), Miss Enriquez (yes), Miss Cabral (yes), Miss Balderas (yes), Doctor Neville (yes), Miss Cova Scaraballo (yes); two members were absent.

The committee did not adopt specific new programs at the meeting; members described where existing line items allow adjustments and indicated staff can be directed to shift funds to priorities such as expanded sex education, violence-prevention training or additional staff if the board so chooses.

The committee moved on to other agenda items after the vote, including approval of the school calendar and revised operating protocols. The committee also thanked students and community members for their participation and called for continued collaboration to address school safety and student support.

Sources: public comment and committee discussion recorded at the Chelsea School Committee meeting transcript (public comment on sex education and student budget remarks; superintendent's explanations of budget flexibility; roll-call vote approving the budget).