School Board votes against school choice for 2025-26 amid enrollment concerns

The Hopkinton Public Schools School Committee convened on May 1, 2025, to address several key issues, including school choice and construction updates. The meeting began with a discussion on enrollment challenges within the district. Committee members expressed concerns about the current capacity of schools, with one member questioning the existence of enrollment issues given that schools are reportedly full.

The committee deliberated on the potential financial implications of participating in school choice. After a brief discussion, it was decided to postpone the vote on this matter until later in the meeting. However, as the public hearing on school choice concluded without any community input, a motion was made to close the hearing. The motion was passed unanimously.

Following the closure of the public hearing, a motion was introduced to not participate in school choice for the 2025-2026 school year, citing population concerns. This motion also received unanimous support from the committee members.

The meeting then transitioned to recognition and reports. It was noted that the athletic director was expected to arrive later, and the absence of a student council member was acknowledged due to a school-related athletic event.

The committee then moved on to a construction update regarding the Hopkins project. The project dashboard for March indicated no new safety incidents, and the schedule remains on track for final completion, with the school expected to be ready for students by August 21, 2026.

In summary, the meeting addressed critical issues surrounding school choice and ongoing construction projects, with key decisions made regarding enrollment policies and timelines for school readiness. The committee will continue to monitor these developments in future meetings.