The Manchester Board of School Committee will meet on May 11, 2026. Here’s a preview of what’s expected to be discussed.
Manchester is approaching a fiscal inflection point and residents deserve to understand exactly why. Decisions being made in Concord are directly shaping the budget challenges our city now faces, and unless we act with urgency, those challenges will only deepen.
This summer, Manchester parents will be able to request a transfer for their students currently enrolled in the Manchester School District into another Manchester School District school.
During the Feb, 10, 2026 Board of School Committee’s Committee on Teaching and Learning meeting, Manchester School District Executive Director of Multilingual Leaner Education Wendy Perron provided an overview of a proposal that would create school specific report cards for the district’s dual-language immersion schools.
At their Feb. 3, 2026 meeting, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a memorandum of understanding with the Manchester School District that would approve an independent audit of the Manchester School District, a key part of the mayor’s STARS (streamlining, taxpayer accountability and reform system) initiative.
Manchester’s growing special education population and the rising cost of serving students with complex needs took center stage at the January 27, 2026 Manchester Board of School Committee meeting as administrators warned of continued financial pressure heading into the 2026 – ‘27 school year.
Just over 30 percent of Manchester School District students missed at least 10 percent of the 2024-’25 School Year, leading district leaders to discuss strategies moving forward with the Manchester Board of School Committee Student Conduct Committee on lowering absentee rates.
On Wednesday night, Manchester School District Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel sent a message to staff regarding reports of heightened U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the city earlier in the day as well as potentially on Thursday.
The Manchester School District and the City of Manchester Department of Public Works Parks and Recreation Division are expecting to test a new partnership that help both groups as well as students and other community members gain access to new recreational programs.
As the budget season for Fiscal Year 2026 begins to come into focus, a memorandum of understanding between the Manchester School District and the City of Manchester for an independent efficiency audit was recommended by the Manchester Board of School Committee’s Finance Committee on Wednesday night, part of a larger initiative by Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais to proactively find budgetary efficiencies in local government budgets.
For years, there have been rumors that the Manchester School District would somehow realign the city’s public high school students away from its long-standing configuration. In their first regular meeting of 2026, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) held another discussion looking at just such a realignment that recommended no immediate action.
This “flash fund” includes $25,000 worth of Manchester public school teachers’ STEM-related classroom wish list items on DonorsChoose.
The latest student assessment results are in for many of Manchester’s public school students, but a case can easily be made whether these results should be seen through a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” lens.
In a presentation during the Oct. 27 Manchester Board of School Committee meeting, Manchester School District Executive Director of Technology Stephen Cross and Manchester School District Executive Director of Technology and Data Kelly Jobel explained that Manchester’s public schools currently have more Chromebooks than students. However, now the question is what is the best way to maximize the educational value of those devices.
The bottom line is, for every million dollars in reductions, we can anticipate having to eliminate 15-17 positions. Assuming no other cost saving measures, a reduction like this would result in the elimination of between 150-200 positions.
This week, the Manchester School District broke ground on expansions at Hillside Middle School and McLaughlin Middle School in separate ceremonies marking significant steps in Priority One of the district’s facilities plan.
The Newport School Board announced last week that Forrest Ransdell will be the next superintendent of Newport.
Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. Jen Chmiel held a question-and-answer session at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Office on Hanover Street on Tuesday morning, seeking to serve as a resource for local business leaders looking for knowledge about the current state of Manchester’s public schools.
At the April 15th budget hearing, hundreds of community members showed up in support of our school district, with 60 speaking in favor of adequate funding. Only one individual spoke in opposition, a reflection of the disconnect between educators, students, families, and the reckless actions of some members of our Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Referencing his family’s immigrant roots and entrepreneurial spirit, he said, “They built this business right here, which is where I learned about hard work, about being of use to others, and about treating those you work with as members of your extended family.”