Wellesley Public Schools: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
February, the School Committee and Administration present their budget request to the full Advisory Committee. Town Meeting is scheduled for early April when the budget will be presented for approval. Once approved, the budget is implemented for the fiscal year beginning on July 1 st .
Capital Budgets (Cash Capital and Facility Capital):
In Wellesley, there are two types of capital budgets. The first, cash capital, is managed by the school department and funds furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) and information technology. Information technology includes data storage, public address systems, security, desktops, laptops, smartboards, projection systems, assistive technology, wiring, etc. Cash capital is a five-year plan that is updated on an annual basis. The cash capital budget process mirrors the timeline of the general fund budget. The Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations provides access to the web-based budget development program for members of the Academic Council in late October. The web- based system is closed for entry at the end of October with the Principals, Directors, Department Heads, and the Director of Educational Technology submitting their cash capital requests electronically. The threshold for cash capital funds is $10K per project and/or item. For instance, a classroom of furniture would be appropriately funded through cash capital, while a single rug would not. In early November, the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations reviews all requests with the Principals and Director of Educational Technology. A draft of the cash capital five-year plan is developed for review by the Superintendent. FF&E requests that do not meet the Town’s threshold for cash capital are reviewed for inclusion in the general fund budget or through an appropriate revolving fund account. The full cash capital plan is included in the school budget document. The second, facility capital, is managed by the Town’s Facilities Management Department (FMD) 18 . Capital projects are identified through a collaborative approach with district administrators and school principals. Design, construction, and maintenance are managed within the FMD and through outside design professionals. Capital projects under $500K are managed by FMD; capital projects over $500K are managed by the Permanent Building Committee (PBC) and supported by FMD’s Design and Construction Group. The facility capital process begins each summer with the Facilities Director touring each facility with the Building Principal. Identification of needs are reviewed along with the previous year’s requests. A preliminary list of projects is developed in early September. Throughout September, FMD generates cost estimates for each proposed project. The list of projects and estimated costs are reviewed with each Principal. The Facilities Director makes a final determination of the prioritization of Town and School projects to move forward through the funding process. A final list of school projects is reviewed with the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations in mid-November. A final version of the ten-year facility capital plan is presented at a joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee and Advisory Committee in early December. A final presentation is made at the Annual Town Meeting for a vote by Town Meeting Members. Budget Timeline Below is a brief timeline of the most important aspects of the development of the FY’26 Budget. In fiscal year 2026, the cash capital and operating budget followed a similar timeline.
18 The FMD is responsible for capital planning, custodial services, energy conservation, maintenance, operations, and project management for its twenty-eight buildings. This totals 1.2 million square feet for all schools and municipal buildings in Town, except for Municipal Light Plant (MLP) buildings.
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