School Committee approves FY27 budget, enrollment study, and two new policies.

School Committee · Meeting of January 20, 2026

Wellesley School Committee approves ten-year enrollment study and affirms class-size guidelines. The Committee unanimously voted to contract with FutureThink for a comprehensive demographic and enrollment forecast to guide capital planning, with data available in April. Superintendent David Lussier defended the FY27 budget's proposed reduction of fourth-grade sections at Schofield as consistent with existing policy and enrollment projections, despite parent objection citing the cohort's specific developmental needs.

The district is reallocating an unfilled Teaching Assistant position under the federal IDEA grant to fund a 0.5 elementary Student Services Secretary to address heightened special education compliance requirements, a change deemed budget neutral and already discussed with the Wellesley Educators Association and the Special Education Parent Advisory Council. The Committee also unanimously approved two new policies: JECA establishing Middle School Pathways Exploration and amended JG-R governing Elementary Transfer Option procedures.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of January 20, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.