Who are we?

Vote YES! for Chelmsford Public Schools is an independent community initiative formed to encourage Chelmsford, MA, residents to support
a proposal to raise property taxes in town for the specific purpose of building a NEW Parker Middle School for students in grades 4–6. We believe this project is an extremely important investment in Chelmsford's students, schools and overall community.

This site will be continuously updated until after the town-wide ballot vote on Tuesday, February 9, 2027.

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FAQs

Why do we support a YES! vote?

Secures major state funding: Chelmsford can receive up to 58% state reimbursement for eligible building and demolition costs through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).
Fixes district overcrowding: Our four elementary schools and the Parker Middle School are already full, and projections show we cannot fit all K-6 students in these schools in the next few years.
Eliminates expiring modular trailers: The temporary modular classrooms currently at Parker successfully served the town 20 years ago but have now reached their natural expiration date.
Creates a modern Grades 4-6 "bridge": The new school is designed specifically for students in grades 4–6, providing an age-appropriate transition from elementary school to the middle-school experience.
Replaces an aging building efficiently: The existing Parker Middle School is an aging facility with significant infrastructure and code-related needs. Repairing it independently means paying 100% of the cost with zero state aid.

What does a NO vote mean?

Loses state funding while still paying for repairs: The underlying problems with the existing Parker Middle School remain, forcing the town to pay substantial costs, without any reimbursement from the MSBA, for ongoing, piecemeal repairs.
Delays state partnership for up to a decade: Chelmsford would most likely not be invited back into the MSBA program for 7 to 10 years, when construction will be significantly more expensive.
Worsens capacity crises across K-6 schools: Overcrowding will intensify across all four elementary schools and Parker, potentially leading to larger class sizes and restricted learning spaces.
Forces continued reliance on failing modulars: The town will have to spend money maintaining outdated, 20-year-old temporary structures that are past their useful life.
Misses the chance for specialized 4-6 education: Chelmsford students will remain stuck in buildings not structurally optimized for their specific age group's transitional academic and social needs.

Attend the upcoming Community Forum to learn more:
7pm on Thursday, November 12 at the Chelmsford Elks Lodge

Why Was New Construction Selected for the Parker Middle School Project?

Over the past several weeks, residents have asked why new construction was selected for the Parker Middle School project. We appreciate these questions and want to share why this option best meets Chelmsford’s long-term educational needs.

Chelmsford has not built a new school in more than 50 years. Today, our district faces significant overcrowding at both the elementary and middle school levels.

Three options were evaluated, each with different costs, construction timelines, and educational outcomes.

Option X1: Base Repair / Code Upgrade — $110.1 Million

This option would address building repairs and code requirements but would not resolve Parker’s educational space deficiencies or overcrowding at the elementary schools. It would not qualify for MSBA reimbursement, leaving the Town responsible for the full estimated cost.

Option A1.2: Phased Addition and Renovation — $263.3 Million

This option would take approximately 52 months to complete, compared with 36 months for new construction. It would cost a comparable amount while leaving some educational spaces constrained and subjecting students and staff to years of construction in an occupied school.

Option A2.2: New Construction — $258.5 Million

New construction provides the strongest long-term solution. The new Parker would serve all students in grades 4–6, freeing elementary school space for kindergarten through grade 3. This districtwide approach addresses overcrowding at both levels and provides additional capacity for current and projected enrollment.

What Does This Mean for Taxpayers?

The estimated total project cost has decreased from $263.9 million to $258.5 million.

The project is anticipated to receive approximately $112.3 million in MSBA reimbursement, along with an estimated $7.3 million in MassSave rebates and federal tax credits.

The estimated local share is calculated as follows:

Total Project Cost (estimated): $258.5 million

Less MSBA reimbursement (estimated): -$112.3 million

Less MassSave rebates and Federal tax credits (estimated): -$7.3 million

Less Chelmsford’s feasibility study share, previously authorized: -$0.8 million

Estimated new local share: approximately $138.1 million

These figures are estimates, not guaranteed final costs or reimbursements, and remain subject to applicable program requirements, final project costs, and final MSBA audit.

Why New Construction?

It addresses the district’s educational and space needs, provides additional elementary school capacity, offers a shorter construction timeline, minimizes disruption from construction in an occupied school, and provides the opportunity to leverage substantial state financial assistance.

This is more than a new building. It is a long-term investment in our students, our schools, and Chelmsford’s future.

Please review the accompanying comparison graphic to see how the three options differ.

Investing in our schools is investing in Chelmsford’s future.

A more in-depth response to this question can be found on the Parker Building Project website: https://chelmsfordschools.org/parker-middle-school-building-project-faq-oct-30-2026/

Designing a NEW Parker Middle School

The schematic design for the new Parker Middle School is more than a replacement for an aging facility. It provides a thoughtful, district-wide solution that addresses overcrowding at all four elementary schools, as well as the Parker Middle School, which will strengthen education across Chelmsford.

Every element of the schematic design supports the goal of creating a safe, welcoming, adaptable and sustainable learning environment that will benefit Chelmsford Public Schools and its students for generations to come.

To stay up to date on everything happening with the Parker Middle School Building Project, visit https://parkermsproject.com.

Our Preferred Option

Community input played a vital role in shaping the vision for a NEW Parker Middle School. Students, parents and other stakeholders from around Chelmsford came together to share what they value in learning. All that information helped establish the framework for the educational plan and design for the new building. This video shares more detail about the amount of work and collaboration that went into making the decision on the preferred option.

To stay up to date on everything happening with the Parker Middle School Building Project, visit:

https://parkermsproject.com

Demonstrating the Need

Here is the second in a series of informational videos about the Parker Middle School Building Project. More videos will be released in the coming weeks so stay tuned!

The MSBA Opportunity

Chelmsford has a rare opportunity to fund a new grade 4-6 middle school in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Watch this video to learn more about the MSBA, its role in funding school building projects and how partnering with this state agency could potentially save taxpayers in Chelmsford over $100 million in costs associated with our project.

Click here to Hear Superintendent of Chelmsford Public Schools, Dr. Jay Lang, Explain the Grade 4-6 Configuration

Why it doesn't make sense to simply bring the existing Parker Middle School up to code

At the Community Forum held on October 7, 2026, it was explained that earlier in this process all different solutions were thoroughly examined. Simply bringing the existing Parker Middle School building up to code would cost more than $100 million and it would not address the overcrowding issue in the four elementary schools. So it is our opinion that for an additional $38 million the town would be better served to build a NEW Parker Middle School for all grade 4-6 students because it not only alleviates all the issues at the current Parker school building but it also addresses the concerns with overcrowding at the four elementary schools. Ultimately, the town gets a $256 million NEW school for $138 million because the MSBA grant will cover 58% of eligible costs.

What the NEW Parker Middle School will cost taxpayers

Town Manager, Alex Magee, presented the project costs at the Community Forum held on October 7, 2026. Mr. Magee explained that the Town would finance this $138M with a 30-year bond at an anticipated interest rate of 5.25%. If interest rates drop at any point in that 30-year period, the Town would certainly look to refinance the bond at a lower rate.

The average assessed home value in town is currently $694,695. This means the average tax increase per home, over the length of the bond, would be $595.00/year or $49.58/month. These estimated tax payer costs include principle and interest.

A YES! vote on this debt exclusion allows the town to raise property taxes outside of Proposition 2½ limits for the life of a 30-year bond used to finance the NEW Parker Middle School. Once the 30-year borrowing is paid off, the tax increase automatically expires.