FY'26 Budget Document (December 10, 2024)

Wellesley Public Schools: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget

o Projected Enrollment Decline (2008 – 2023):

 Elementary: Loss of 569 students or -22.93%  Middle: Loss of 48 students or -4.53%  High: Increase of 115 students or 9.14  Districtwide: Loss of 502 students or -10.46%

 Future Think – July 2016

o Actual Date: 2015-2016 (4,975 Total Students) o Projection End Date: school year 2025-2026 (4,466 Total Students) o Projected Enrollment Decline (2015 – 2026):  Elementary: Loss of 209 students or -9.06%

 Middle: Loss of 143 students or -12.4%  High: Loss of 107 students or -7.06%  Districtwide: Loss of 459 students or -9.23%

 Future Think – January 2020

o Actual Date: 2019-2020 (4,758 Total Students) o Projection End Date: school year 2029-2030 (4,189 Total Students) o Projected Enrollment Decline (2019-2030):

 Elementary: Loss of 183 students or -8.74%  Middle: Loss of 255 students or -21.89%  High: Loss of 131 students or -8.74%  Districtwide: Loss of 569 students or -11.96%

 Future Think – September 2022

o Actual Date: 2022-2023 (4,136 Total Students) o Projection End Date: school year 2032-2033 (3,857 Total Students) o Projected Enrollment Decline (2032-2033):  Elementary: Gain of 116 students or 6.64%

 Middle: Loss of 27 students or 2.91%  High: Loss of 368 students or 25.2%  Districtwide: Loss of 279 students or 6.74%

 Key Factors of All Projections o Birth Rates

 Decline in the Wellesley Birth Rate (20.6% decline between 2007 and 2021)  Wellesley birth rate was 252 births in 2007 versus 200 in 2021  Massachusetts birth rate declined (10.98% decline between 2007 and 2021)  Massachusetts birth rate was 78,724 in 2007 versus 70,083 in 2021  Overall population likely to increase in Town (1.3% over 5 years)  School age population projected to decline (-3.0% for 0–18-year-old)

o Out Migration (Future Think 2022 Study)

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