Weston proposes FY26 budget prioritizing staff costs, enrollment-driven sections and a 15% pre-K tuition increase

Weston School Committee members on Jan. 13 heard a presentation of the recommended fiscal year 2026 budget that emphasizes staff compensation, targeted curriculum investments and contingency funds to respond to shifting enrollment.

The budget presentation, led by Dr. Zaleski (Superintendent) in partnership with central office staff, proposed net additions to staffing tied to expected enrollment — including a kindergarten section, associated paraprofessional support and a reading (Orton-Gillingham) specialist — while also identifying one-time savings and other offsets such as increased pre-K tuition.

Why it matters: The budget as presented focuses district resources on teacher and staff compensation (the administration said roughly 79% of budget dollars are for staff), aligns investment with the district strategic plan (literacy, universal design for learning and special education), and reserves funds so the district can add sections quickly if enrollment changes midyear. Committee members raised concerns that class sizes above the mid-20s at the middle-school level would reduce teachers’ ability to run active, collaborative lessons and safety-sensitive activities.

Most important facts

- The administration described targeted investments of about $547,500 for FY26 for curriculum rollout, professional development and specialized instruction supports, and said it had identified both one-time savings and ongoing offsets.

- Administrators said they had placed roughly $300,000 in contingency to allow the district to add sections if enrollment warrants it before the school year begins.

- The presentation included a proposed 15% increase in pre-K tuition, which the administration estimated would generate about $186,000 in additional offset revenue.

- The administration identified $250,000 in supply-line reductions and other one-time savings; it also proposed restructuring curriculum staffing that it said would reduce costs (noting a $140,000 savings from a restructure and a roughly $139,005 savings from a proposed reduction to the standalone DEI coordinator position while retaining contracted consultant support).

Discussion and enrollment trade-offs

Administrators described use of a cohort-survival (Table K) model to project enrollment and sectioning. They recommended adding one kindergarten section (teacher plus paraprofessional and some specialist support) and keeping certain middle-school grade sections intact to avoid disruptive midyear hires and to preserve established teacher teams.

Field School principal Miss Oates warned that "those really cool up-and-moving activities... become increasingly more difficult as we have class sizes over 24," citing safety and instructional-quality concerns in science labs, physical education and writing feedback. Committee members asked for more refined cost estimates for adding a middle-school section; administrators said a ballpark figure would be prepared for the next meeting.

Investments and reductions

The administration listed these notable budget items: - Curriculum materials and rollout (K–5 ELA): roughly $150,000 for materials plus $103,000 for implementation and PD (multi-year professional development). - A specialist for Orton-Gillingham reading intervention (described as a district-level hire for specialized literacy support). - $100,000 for PowerSchool implementation (rollover plus special-education-related costs). - Continued funding for the Cartwheel student-support service and increased FTEs in music/band/chorus where enrollment warrants additional staffing.

Officials described one-time and structural savings including reduced supply budgets ($250,000), elimination or reduction of duplicative software subscriptions ($30,000), reorganization of technology staffing (about $55,600 saved), and a restructuring of curriculum staff that produces net savings while shifting responsibilities to the newly hired supervisor of elementary curriculum and two elementary coordinators.

Process and timeline

Administrators said kindergarten information night and screening, plus incoming-census data and registration numbers, will inform a final decision on whether to commit to additional sections. They told the committee they expected clearer numbers in the weeks before February break and planned to bring refined FTE and cost estimates to the next budget meeting; the committee requested those figures.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda, as amended: Approved. The committee approved the consent agenda and accepted two amendments to Policy JH to add the words "cultural" (so the policy references "major religious and cultural holidays") and to clarify that college-visit leave is limited to three days per school year. (Motion and second recorded; no individual tally for each name was provided on the record.)

- Executive session (collective bargaining discussion and approval of executive-session minutes): Approved. The committee voted by roll call to enter executive session for collective bargaining strategy and to approve executive-session minutes; the chair announced the committee would not return to open session. (Roll-call votes were recorded as "Aye" on the record.)

What the committee directed and next steps

Committee members asked administrators to: - Provide refined cost estimates for adding a middle-school section and for alternative hiring scenarios (experienced teacher vs. mid-scale hire). - Provide enrollment and program-specific counts (for music, chorus, orchestra and Cartwheel participation) and the backing data that support requested additional FTEs. - Deliver a clearer breakdown of which budget items are one-time versus ongoing, and to identify which savings will recur versus which are nonrecurring offsets.

The administration said it will return with a budget book or more complete backup materials at the next scheduled meeting and will supply the requested figures on section-cost estimates and program enrollments.

Ending

Committee members praised the administration for assembling a budget that balances strategic investments with identified savings and contingency for enrollment volatility, but several said they wanted more precise, itemized backup before any final votes on appropriations. The budget discussion will continue at upcoming meetings with additional documentation and cost detail to be supplied by district staff.