Wellesley Public Schools: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
Town of Wellesley
In Massachusetts, municipalities that operate their own school district may have certain expenditures made by other municipal departments on behalf of the schools. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA DESE) regulation (603 Code of Massachusetts Regulation 10.04) requires school districts to report city or town services directly related to the local school department. Since Wellesley Public Schools is a municipal school district, there are costs related to building custodial services and maintenance, retirement, health insurance and school crossing guards that are covered by municipal departments.
There are several examples of the collaborations between the School and Town Departments. These include:
Function
User
Collaborative Departments
Building Custodial Services Building Facility Maintenance
Schools Schools Schools Schools
Facilities Management Department (FMD) Facilities Management Department (FMD)
Crossing Guards
Police Department
Landscaping School Grounds
Department of Public Works (DPW) and Facilities Management Department (FMD) Department of Public Works (DPW) and Natural Resource Department (NRC)
Playing Fields Maintenance
Schools
Playground Maint. & Replace. School Resource Officers
Schools Schools Schools
Department of Public Works (DPW)
Police Department
School Security
School Information Technology, Facilities Management Department (FMD) and Police Department
Snow Plowing
Schools
Department of Public Works (DPW)
A Town / School agreement provides the terms of how costs are allocated for reporting in the End of Year report (Schedule 19) to the MA DESE. In Wellesley, the Town carries the following expenses: General Administrative Services: The expenses related to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for school employees is included in the human resources and benefit category. The allocation of costs between the Town and Schools is based on the Town / School agreement currently in place. The current allocation to the school department is 68.43% of the total town costs. These costs are carried in the Town of Wellesley’s Group Insurance budget. Operations and Maintenance: The direct costs of salaries, supplies, materials, and contractual expenses for the maintenance of school buildings, grounds, and equipment. School maintenance expenditures shall be reported for services within a school building or on school grounds. Costs related to snow plowing and athletic field upkeep is included in this category. These costs are carried in the Town of Wellesley’s Facilities Management Department (FMD) and Department of Public Works (DPW) budget. Employer Retirement Contributions: The actual costs of pensions paid to school department retirees, or the actual costs of assessments paid to state, county, or municipal retirement systems on account of school department employees or retirees, including any special assessments for early retirement incentive programs for school department employees. Employees who are licensed by the DESE and require a license as part of their contract are members of the Massachusetts
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