Balanced $41.8M Budget Proposed as Pembroke School Committee Pushes Back on State Cell Phone Mandate

PEMBROKE — April 14, 2026 — Superintendent Erin Obey unveiled a $41.8 million administrative budget recommendation for Fiscal Year 2027, maintaining a balanced ledger through strategic “pre-buying” of special education tuition and a significant influx of state supplemental funding. While the fiscal outlook remains stable, the Committee voiced strong opposition to a looming statewide cell phone ban, directing the Superintendent to formally advocate for continued local control over student device policies.

The Full Story

The Tuesday evening meeting opened with a legislative victory lap as State Representatives Kathy LaNatra and Ken Sweezey visited the committee to deliver news of successful funding earmarks for the district. [12:35] The representatives announced they had secured $50,000 for HVAC repairs and replacements, $100,000 for Pembroke schools to assist with capital costs—including potential expenses associated with joining the South Shore Regional Vocational School—and $35,000 for educational programming at the Pembroke Public Library. [14:25]

Despite these wins, Representative Sweezey addressed the “brokenness” of the Chapter 70 state funding formula, which currently provides Pembroke with only $75 per student in minimum aid. [16:52] The committee expressed concern that while the House budget might increase this to $150, it remains far below the inflation-driven needs of the district.