Wellesley Public Schools: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
Recent Out-of-District Statistics: There are two main variables in the out-of-district placement budget: number of students and type of placement. Below is a historical view of planned versus actual in each category. Planned is based on the assumptions at the time the School Committee voted the budget, and the actual is based on year-end numbers.
Placement Type Collaborative Residential Out-of-State Private
FY’23 Voted
FY’23 Actual
FY’23 Var.
FY’24 Voted
FY’24 Actual
FY’24 Var.
FY’25 Budget
FY’25 10/1
FY’25 Var.
7
12 36
+5 -2 -1 +1 +3
9
8
-1 +8 -2
6
7
+1 +1 +3
38 10
40
48
37
38
9 4
9 2
7 2
5 2
8 2
3
0
0
Total
58
61
60
65
+5
50
55
+5
On October 1, 2024, the official student count for out-of-district placements was 55 students. In FY’26 we are projecting the following known students by placement type:
FY’26 Total
Placement Type Collaborative
7
Private
38
Residential Out-of-State
7 3
Total 55 Although the budget is carefully developed, unpredictable factors can alter the tuition portion of the budget quickly and sometimes significantly. These factors may include: Students with disabilities who require an emergency placement due to safety or disciplinary concerns/issues. Students who move into Wellesley with an IEP and are already in out-of-district placements.
Students who have a significant unexpected change in their level of need. Unidentified students turning 3 years of age and are eligible for services. McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Circuit Breaker Funding Formula and FY’26 Projection: The state special education reimbursement program, commonly known as the circuit breaker program, was started in FY’04 to provide additional state funding to districts for high-cost special education students. The Student Opportunity Act (SOA), signed into law in December 2019, set the threshold to adjust annually by the foundation inflation index. Out-of-district transportation reimbursement will be phased in over four years, with the state reimbursing up to 75% of eligible costs (instructional and transportation), subject to appropriation. The example below demonstrates how the formula is applied for the instructional costs.
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