The Burlington High School building project is back in the state’s review pipeline. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) accepted Burlington’s latest Statement of Interest for a “senior study” review and toured the school on Sept. 24, 2026. Town officials expect feedback in November and possible project announcements in December or January, according to the building committee’s Sept. 24 minutes. Here is where the effort to replace or renovate the 1970s-era Burlington, MA high school stands.
Key facts: the BHS project at a glance
- Current step: MSBA senior study review; the site visit took place Sept. 24, 2026.
- Competition: the MSBA received 34 applications and narrowed them to 21 active projects, Superintendent Dr. Eric Conti told the committee, according to the minutes.
- No grant yet: the MSBA “made it clear that there is no commitment to any school, yet,” the minutes state.
- Next milestones: MSBA feedback expected at the School Committee’s November meeting; acceptance announcements possible in December.
- Prior plan: a $333 million renovation and addition was rejected by voters in November 2025, Burlington Buzz reported.
- Students affected: 912 students in grades 9-12 plus 87 preschoolers attend the building in 2025-26, according to DESE enrollment data.
How Burlington got here
Burlington’s School Committee sent letters of interest to the MSBA for 13 years in a row without being accepted, as the state prioritized older, more crowded and less maintained schools, according to Burlington Buzz. The town then paid for its own $1.5 million feasibility study, which produced a plan to partly demolish and renovate the building and add a new academic wing. Without state reimbursement, that plan would have cost the town $333 million.
Voters rejected the plan and the debt exclusion needed to fund it at a November 2025 special election, with more than 36% of registered voters casting ballots, nearly twice the turnout of a typical town election, Burlington Buzz reported. A debt exclusion lets a town temporarily raise taxes above its Proposition 2½ limit to pay for a specific project, as the state Division of Local Services explains in its levy limits primer.
The new application
After the vote, the building committee added members and rebuilt its Statement of Interest. According to the committee’s April 30 minutes, the application was submitted before the MSBA’s April 17 deadline. Burlington Buzz reported that it focuses on three of the MSBA’s seven statutory priorities: preventing a loss of accreditation, replacing or modernizing building systems to save energy, and replacing obsolete buildings that cannot support a full range of programs.
The MSBA’s acceptance for a senior study “does not mean that a grant has been awarded,” Conti said at a School Committee meeting, according to Burlington Access TV (BCAT). “It just means that they’re going to come out to make sure that our statement aligns with the conditions on the ground.” BCAT noted a senior study of BHS was also carried out in 2017.
What happened at the Sept. 24 tour
A large MSBA group, including senior staff, outside design consultants and Ken Gordon, listed in the minutes as chair, toured the building for about three hours, according to the minutes. The visit focused on building deficiencies and accessibility, and a student member of the committee shared his view of accessibility problems. Assistant Town Administrator Patrick Lawlor briefed visitors on local development and growth. Committee members said afterward that the visit went well, and discussion also touched on air quality and its effect on students.
The committee said its next tasks include informing residents and Town Meeting members about the building’s needs, answering any MSBA follow-up questions, including about new housing developments and the town’s MBTA Communities zoning, and tracking the November and December timeline.
Repairs while Burlington waits
In the meantime, the district is focusing on keeping the building running. At the April 30 meeting, Conti identified heating, ventilation and electrical components, including thermostats and transformers, as vulnerable, and confirmed a Town Meeting article to replace equipment in the boiler room. Committee member Bob Cunha said at the July 23 meeting that any renovation work, if needed, would be a multi-year plan, according to those minutes.
What it could mean for taxpayers
MSBA acceptance would make Burlington eligible for partial state reimbursement, but any project would still need local funding votes. The town’s FY2026 residential tax rate is $8.69 per $1,000; our Burlington property tax guide explains how the bill is calculated. For district-wide enrollment, spending and graduation data, see our Burlington Public Schools guide, and for other town business, our Burlington fall news roundup.
Building committee meetings are broadcast on BCAT and posted on the town’s agenda center.
Sources
- Town of Burlington: BHS Building Committee minutes, Sept. 24, 2026
- Town of Burlington: BHS Building Committee minutes, April 30, 2026
- Town of Burlington: BHS Building Committee minutes, July 23, 2026
- Burlington Access TV: BHS Statement of Interest Accepted for MSBA Senior Study Review
- Burlington Buzz: Town Officials Cautiously Optimistic as BHS Progresses
- DESE: Enrollment Data 2025-26, Burlington
Additional sources
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services: Levy Limits primer (debt exclusions)
- Massachusetts School Building Authority (program overview)
Photo: Burlington High School, by John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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