Wellesley Public Schools: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
• Diligently searching for cost savings that can be realized without adversely affecting delivery of the educational program, and broadly communicating these opportunities for resource streamlining and redeployment. • Reducing or eliminating fees charged to families for curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and identifying opportunities for students to access financial support. The Committee would like to see the following identified within the budget document: • Items related to Strategic Plan initiatives and aligning with the Student Opportunity Act (SOA). • District-level investments in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Key Factors Affecting the FY’26 Budget There are several key factors affecting the FY’26 budget. These include: • Four of five collective bargaining agreements 8 for the school department are in effect until June 30, 2026. All collective bargaining related expenses, known and projected, are included in the budget. Base salary adjustments and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are included in FY’25 and FY’26. In addition, all employees who are not on top step advance one step annually. Below is a summary of the steps each bargaining unit has, number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) and percent of FTEs at top step (FY’25 data as of November 3, 2024):
Number of Steps in Salary Table
Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)
Percent of Employees at Top Step 9
Unit
WEA (Unit A) WEA (Unit B)
16
528.35 37.00 162.16 43.42 17.00
57.13% 64.86% 54.23% 70.24%
9 5
WEA (Unit C) Instructional Support Prof WEA (Unit D) Administrative Supp. Prof. WEA (Unit E) Technology Supp. Prof. 10
7 or 10
TBD
TBD
• Health insurance costs continue to be challenging to most municipalities including Wellesley. The Town of Wellesley is a member of a municipal joint purchase group – West Suburban Health Group 11 (WSHG). Through WSHG, Wellesley offers two different types of health plans to benefit eligible employees: a Benchmark plan and a High Deductible Health Plan. The Town of Wellesley will set up a Health Savings
8 The five school unions include: Wellesley Educators Association (WEA) Unit A: Teachers and Nurses; Wellesley Educators Association (WEA) Unit B: Administrators; Wellesley Educators Association (WEA) Unit C: Instructional Support Professionals; Wellesley Educators Association (WEA) Unit D: Administrative Support Professionals; and Wellesley Educators Association (WEA) Unit E: Technology Support Professionals. 9 Fiscal year 2025 data as of November 3, 2024. 10 The initial Unit E: Technology Support Professionals is being negotiated. 11 The West Suburban Health Group (WSHG) is a municipal joint purchase group organized under Mass. General Laws Chapter 32B, §12. The WSHG became operational on July 1, 1990, for the joint negotiation and purchase of health benefits for employees, retirees, and their families. The WSHG’s joint purchase agreement has been signed by eleven (11) participating governmental employers (Participating Governmental Units) located in the metro west area (area west and south of Boston).
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