Concord Board Raises Budget to $126 Million

The 2026-2027 school budget rose by about $2 million, with added funding for special education and staffing.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Special Education

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of wooden school desks, pencils, and a brass bell in a quiet classroom corner, in navy and cream. — The Concord Board of Education raised its 2026-2027 budget by about $2 million to roughly $126 million, with about $1 million drawn from taxes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think your local schools are adequately funded?

The Concord Board of Education increased its 2026-2027 budget by about $2 million to roughly $126 million, with about $1 million funded from taxes. The revision adds money for special education, Memorial Field design, and workers' compensation that was omitted from the March budget.

Why it matters

The increase directly affects Concord residents through school property taxes and reflects rising special education needs in the district. Adjustments like the omitted workers' compensation line show how budget revisions can correct earlier planning gaps.

The budget grew by about $2 million, with $600,000 earmarked for Memorial Field design and permitting. The 14 added educational assistants and expanded occupational therapy hours at Broken Ground School were funded in the revision.

The players

Concord Board of Education

The governing body responsible for overseeing the Concord school district's budget and educational programs.

Department of Revenue Administration

The New Hampshire state agency that formally sets property tax rates for municipalities and school districts.

The details

The board funded 14 educational assistants, expanded the Broken Ground School occupational therapist from three to four days per week, and added a full-time charter school special educator. The district is pulling money from a trust fund to cover Memorial Field costs, which the city and school district are splitting evenly, and $100,000 from taxes covers mold remediation at Beaver Meadow School.

March: Original budget set at a little under $124 million.
Earlier this school year: An occupational therapist at the district resigned.
Over the summer: HVAC settings were adjusted during cooler periods and not reset during humid periods, causing mold growth.
Later this month: The Department of Revenue Administration will formally set property tax rates.

Roadmap

Concord's budget revision sits within New Hampshire's property revaluation cycle, administered by the Department of Revenue Administration. The projected 27% decline in the school tax rate reflects how revaluation can offset spending increases for local taxpayers.

Concord taxpayers face a projected 27% decrease in the school property tax rate once revaluation is finalized, though the budget increase carries about $1 million in tax-funded costs. Families of students needing special education will see more educational assistants and expanded therapy hours at Broken Ground School.

The takeaway

Budget revisions can correct earlier omissions, as the $475,000 workers' compensation line missed in March shows, so residents should review final figures once tax rates are set.

What happens next

The Department of Revenue Administration is expected to formally set the property tax rates later this month, finalizing the impact on Concord taxpayers.