CHICOPEE, Mass.

Chicopee Public Schools officials presented a $131,601,452 FY2026 budget to the City Council on June 26, saying the district faces sharply higher costs for out-of-district special-education placements, transportation and contract settlements while some one-time federal supports have ended.

Nut graf: The school budget is the single largest line in the city package and school leaders told councilors that out-of-district tuition and special-education transportation are the primary cost drivers. Officials said federal ESSER funds have ended, circuit-breaker reimbursements and school-choice receipts will offset some costs, and the district is still negotiating multiple labor contracts.

Key details discussed

- Out-of-district tuition: School officials said tuition spending has grown from roughly $3 million in 2024 to an anticipated nearly $6 million in FY2026. Superintendent Antonio Ware (Dr. Ware) and John Majorecki, director of budget and finance, told the council that placement rates for specialized schools have risen and some vendors have petitioned to increase tuition rates.

- Transportation: The schools' special-education transportation line rose from about $6.1 million (FY2024) to $7.3 million (FY2026). Officials said 5 Star (the incumbent provider) was the only bidder in a recent procurement for certain routes, and rising use of minibuses and specialized vehicle runs also increased costs. The schools plan to install camera systems on buses as part of new contracts.

- Funding offsets: Majorecki and Dr. Ware said the district will use about $1.2 million in Circuit Breaker reimbursements and roughly $1 million of school-choice funds this year. The district also pre-paid several out-of-district invoices to achieve near-term savings of approximately $750,000.

- One-time and federal sources: ESSER funding has ended (the district had previously used ESSER to support supplies and programs), and some lines show a 10% across-the-board reduction in nonessential consumables to reflect the loss of ESSER.

- Staffing and vacancies: Officials said the district had more than 100 open positions listed on the district hiring portal this summer, with special education, math and multilingual positions particularly difficult to fill. The district is using the budget to fund hires and to convert some temporary positions where needed.

Quotes

"These placements can cost up to $150,000 to $250,000 per student," John Majorecki said of specialized out-of-district tuition, describing the range of rates the district faces.

Auditor Sharon Riley told the council earlier in the evening that insurance and replacement values are driving citywide cost pressure that flows to the schools: "Replacement values are going through the roof," she said during the auditor's presentation.

Procurement and vendor discussion

Councilors asked whether transportation costs could be reduced by opening procurement to additional firms. Majorecki said 5 Star and Vanpool are the main providers operating in the region and that 5 Star was the sole responsive bidder in the district's recent special-education procurement; he warned that changing providers is operationally complex.

Budget risk and uncertainty

Officials stressed two major uncertainties: unsettled collective-bargaining contracts for most employee units, and state and federal funding levels that will not be finalized until the state allocates Chapter 70 and federal grants are distributed (state allocations typically use October 1 data for decile calculations). Majorecki said the district is close to the threshold for decile 10 for low-income calculation and a drop could reduce Chapter 70 aid by up to $5 million.

Action

The council tentatively approved the school budget by roll call vote during the hearing; the clerk later recorded the schools appropriation as $131,601,452 when the council adopted the entire FY2026 package in the special session.

Ending: School leaders said they will return quarterly reports on large-variable lines (out-of-district tuition and transportation) and continue to seek state and federal reimbursements where eligible.