Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Early Childhood Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
School committee approves modest tuition increase for Children’s Way preschool to sustain program
Summary
The committee voted to raise Children’s Way (TCW) tuition by 2.75% for FY26. Administrators said the fee change is modest, preserves program quality and does not expand TCW capacity, which remains capped at 75 children.
The Wayland School Committee voted on Jan. 30, 2025, to approve a 2.75% tuition increase for Children’s Way (TCW) preschool for fiscal year 2026.
Susan Botan, who presented the TCW proposal, told the committee that the program has not raised rates in several years and that the recommended 2.75% increase is intended to cover operating costs while keeping the program accessible. She said TCW is at capacity (75 children), is staffed by dually certified teachers and reserves half of classroom slots for students with special-education needs. Administrator presentations also noted that students in TCW with an IEP do not pay tuition for their special-education services.
Committee members asked whether higher fees would expand full-day slots; administrators said TCW is at capacity and state licensing and room sizes (15 students per classroom) limit expansion. Administrators confirmed that TCW program quality differs from some private preschools because staff are licensed under K–12 education standards and TCW offers related services (speech, OT, etc.) on site for students with IEPs.
A committee member moved to approve the TCW rate increase; the motion was seconded and the committee voted in favor (recorded as unanimous with one member absent). The committee instructed administrators to publish the revised rates following the vote and to provide follow-up materials requested by committee members.
