Westwood proposes half‑day preschool schedule to open space for students with disabilities; committee approves 3% tuition increase

Superintendent Tim (role: Superintendent) told the Westwood School Committee on Jan. 16 that the district is proposing a structural change to the Westwood Integrated Preschool for the 2025–26 school year to open more seats for students with disabilities.

The proposal would move new preschool entrants to four‑ or five‑day half‑day sessions of 2.5 hours (morning 8:45–11:15 or afternoon 12:00–2:30) while continuing to offer full‑day, five‑day placements for children with more severe special education needs. Tim said the change is intended to work “within the current physical space and staffing model” and to reduce the district’s need to request class‑size waivers from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Why it matters: Westwood has only three preschool classrooms and has repeatedly exceeded class‑size guidance for preschool special education services. Tim said the district has had to request state waivers because enrollment of students with IEPs has risen mid‑year in past years; the administration wants to increase capacity for students entitled to services while avoiding a split program across different town sites.

The committee’s proposal and the case for change

Tim explained that a typical integrated preschool classroom in Massachusetts is capped at 15 students — commonly seven students receiving special education services and eight peer‑model students — and that state guidelines require peer‑model numbers to exceed the special‑education count. He said Westwood’s three classrooms currently support by regulation “21 students with IEPs and 24 peer model students” at maximum, but the district has seen mid‑year increases in students qualifying for services (Tim cited prior years with 15, 15 and 18 mid‑year qualifiers and said there were already seven mid‑year qualifiers this year).

Tim told the committee the half‑day structure would be cost neutral and keep the program unified in one location: “This is a proposal that is cost neutral, not requiring additional staffing or resources. It utilizes our current space, keeping the program together without creating a satellite room.” He added that the change would maintain DESE compliance and “buy us some time” for longer‑term solutions from the district’s master facilities study.

Questions and community concerns

Committee members and parents asked whether the district has data on demand for 2.5‑hour sessions versus the current longer day, how the change would affect siblings and existing families, and whether peer‑model families would choose morning or afternoon sessions. Tim and staff said they have a wait list under the current model and will publicize applications and gather demand data; they also said the plan would grandfather current families so existing students would not have their schedules changed during the transition year. Tim said there are eight afternoon peer slots planned, and that “we’re likely gonna, based on the current numbers that I looked at, I think there’s about 5” afternoon slots already accounted for by returning students.

Several preschool parents who spoke during public participation urged the committee to delay implementation until families had more time to respond. Kelly Donegan, a parent of an integrated preschool student, said: “Implement date in September is just a huge push that would put a lot of families in a really tough situation.” Allie Ricketson, who said she serves on the preschool executive board, recommended “really engage the families” before making a final transition.

Tuition vote

The committee voted Jan. 16 to approve a 3% increase in integrated preschool tuition for 2025–26 (from $11.81 to $12.16 per hour for full‑day peer‑model students). Tim said the budget was built on a 3% tuition assumption and that, given the proposed structural change, it was inappropriate to raise tuition above the standard 3% this year. The committee motion to approve the tuition increase carried by voice vote.

What remains to be decided

Tim said the administration will publicize the proposal to families, gather demand data (including lottery and wait‑list information), and return with further information at the Feb. 13 meeting. He also said the master facilities study remains the mid‑ to long‑range path to add permanent preschool space, but that the proposed change is intended as a short‑to‑medium‑term step to preserve access for students with disabilities.

Ending

The committee approved the tuition increase and directed administration to gather additional enrollment and demand data, publicize the proposed schedule change to families, and return for further discussion at the Feb. 13 meeting.