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Walpole schools face $1.6 million special-education deficit; FY26 gap could force cuts
Summary
Walpole Public Schools officials told the school committee that an estimated $1.6 million special-education deficit in FY25, rising health-insurance costs and a $1.3 million gap with the town administrator’s FY26 figure could force about 10 staff reductions unless state relief or other funding is secured.
Walpole Public Schools officials reported a roughly $1.6 million special-education (SpEd) deficit for fiscal 2025 and said the district is working to close a $1.3 million gap between the school committee's FY26 budget and the town administrator’s proposal.
The superintendent’s office and business staff told the school committee on Feb. 6 that the FY25 deficit reflects rising tuition and transportation costs and that circuit-breaker carryover reserves built up in prior years have been exhausted. The district said it qualifies for state extraordinary relief due to a more-than-25% increase in SpEd spending over two consecutive years; any award will be announced in April and paid in May, officials said.
The deficit is “approximately $1,600,000,” the business office reported, a sum that comes on top of earlier SpEd increases. District staff said state decisions to raise private-school tuitions…
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