MANCHESTER, N.H. – With the Fiscal Year 2027 Manchester School District Budget yet to be determined, the Manchester Board of School Committee took time during their May 26, 2026 meeting to revisit two heated topics tabled from earlier this month as well as other topics.
District administrators proposed the potential change for school start times, also referred to as the “bell schedule”, in the upcoming 2026-’27 school year for two primary reasons. The first reason focused on aligning the school district with the average sleep patterns found in different ages of children, an approach that studies have shown to improve educational outcomes. Additionally, modifying school start times was expected to provide increased efficiency in transportation, with that efficiency saving the district an expected $600,000 per year.
A survey was given to parents and staff regarding the proposed change, with a solid majority of respondents agreeing that the idea would be beneficial, but far fewer respondents believing that implementing those changes could be done without significant disruption.
While the $600,000 was seen by several members of the board as significant benefit in closing the projected $16 million shortfall in the Fiscal Year 2027 district budget, the need to build more confidence in the implementation of the schedule change and examine any issues that might hinder its success led to a delay on any action earlier this month.
The concept was taken off the table with the hope of updates on the topic from district administrators, leading to reports of concerns from some district partners and charter schools served by the district.
Representatives from the 21st Century program stated that any program changes would require approval through the New Hampshire Department of Education and that time to make those changes before the beginning of the 2026-’27 school year is limited. Changing family demands were also noted as a factor that determines the program’s needs, including transportation support.
Comparable comments were made by representatives of the Manchester Boys’ and Girls’ Club as well as the Manchester YWCA, with the implication of working with the district to address schedule changes but also noting that further analysis would be needed to see how these changes would impact their programs and transportation partnerships with the district.
Board members accepted a motion to re-table the topic following a recommendation that the 2026-’27 school year be used to how examine how the proposed schedule change could fit within programming needs from groups like these as well as other stakeholders. It was also indicated that the $600,000 savings would need to be found from another area in the meantime.
An update on that work is expected at the next meeting, although further updates are not expected on the matter of the possibility of an open enrollment policy in the district for the next school year.
Manchester School District Executive Director of Legal and Policy Matt Upton reiterated to the board that time had effectively run out for implementing any type of open enrollment policy given legally mandated waiting periods between a required public hearing on the issue and a vote by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as well as a notice period in the New Hampshire Union Leader and the need for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to vote for holding a public hearing before either waiting period. Upton noted that these roadblocks eliminated the ability to enact a potential policy prior to the July 1 deadline.
Upton had proposed the policy following recent state legislation impacting how parents enroll their children within out-of-district schools, which could potentially lead to budget uncertainty for public school districts. However, several Board of School Committee members felt that such a policy would serve as an implicit endorsement of the open enrollment concept, which was felt to be an attack on the concept of public education.
Manchester School District Superintendent Jenn Chmiel also provided an update on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s decision to not approve a budget at their May 19 meeting.
Board of School Committee Vice Chair Jim O’Connell said that he was grateful the Board of School Committee voted at their last meeting to advise Chmiel do whatever necessary to avoid layoffs, but expressed frustration that the lack of action is having a chilling effect on educators uncertain on their future in Manchester since potential alternative positions in nearby districts will shrink as time moves on and they require certainty as soon as possible.
“I think it should be agreed that system is not working,” said O’Connell on the city’s budget deliberation process. “We’re damaging the City of Manchester because we have teachers who may choose to leave because they can’t wait for us to get our act together so we can decide whether they have a job or not. They need to put food on the table (at the beginning of the school year) and pay their mortgage and they can’t be sitting around waiting for us.”