Superintendent says $2.2–$2.3 million FY27 gap would force layoffs, program cuts in Hampden‑Wilbraham Regional School District

The Hampden‑Wilbraham Regional School District superintendent told the school committee and members of the public that the district faces an estimated $2.2–$2.3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2027 and presented a package of fiscal strategies and program reductions to close the gap.

At a public hearing, the superintendent said the revised package combines fiscal strategies (about $770,000), program cuts (about $373,000) and $200,000 the district is banking on in potential state aid that has not yet been appropriated. She described the situation as "an extremely heavy heart" moment and warned that proposed reductions would lead to increased class sizes and fewer supports for students.

Administrators identified specific changes that would contribute to the savings plan. They reported a $47,000 estimated reduction in federal Title I aid, a net $62,714 improvement from updated revenue and expense projections (including higher Medicaid billing and a $50,000 tuition projection decrease), and other adjustments shown in the budget document. The finance staff walked the committee through where those changes appear in the spreadsheet.

The committee’s finance and operations subcommittee recommended a working assumption of $150 per student for Chapter 70 state aid while noting that the governor’s proposal was $75 and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents had urged $180. The district plans to backstop any shortfall to that $150 estimate with increased END funds; administrators stressed that about $200,000 of that amount has not been appropriated by the state.

To achieve additional savings, the district outlined personnel and program strategies, including:

- Attrition and vacant positions: leaving a night custodian position unfilled and realigning staffing where possible. - Reductions in summer curriculum work and limiting counselors’ extra days, producing roughly $9,000 in savings split between the high school and middle school. - Technology and supplies: delaying Chromebook replacement and reducing supply purchases, estimated to save about $90,000; administrators said this would worsen device availability but preserve staff positions. - Personnel reductions: a set of proposed layoffs under "strategy 10" that would add about five teaching positions beyond earlier proposals — including three high‑school physical education teachers — for total personnel reductions of more than 10 positions and an estimated $861,000 in staffing savings. Administrators cautioned those cuts would trigger cascading seniority and placement effects across schools. - Benefits cost avoidance: further reductions in benefits costs estimated at an additional $15,000.

Administrators said those choices tried to minimize harm to classroom teachers but acknowledged several core supports would be affected. Lisa (first referenced in the roll call as "Lisa Murray") said losing four instructional coaches would be "a tremendous hit" to curriculum work, including support for new literacy and math materials, data‑team meetings and MTSS implementation. Josh (district administrator) said the special‑education program had not experienced direct staff reductions tied to IEP requirements, but reductions to coaching and instructional supports would ripple into special‑education services.

Public commenters urged the committee to preserve music and related arts programs. Kennedy, an eighth‑grade student at WMS, said the middle‑school orchestra and chorus provide community and mental‑health benefits and asked the committee not to eliminate those programs. Emma Pluto, the district’s general music teacher at School Road and Stony Hill, described the strings and spring programs as central to many students’ engagement and urged reconsideration of cuts.

An employee with two decades in the district (who spoke during public comment but did not provide a name) praised staff dedication and urged the towns and regional districts to organize and press the Commonwealth for fuller funding of public education, calling the current local reliance on property tax funding inequitable.

Committee members and administrators discussed options for submitting budgets to the two towns (Hampton and Wilbraham), including whether to present a level‑services budget or a reduced budget and the logistics of an override ballot. Members noted timing constraints for town election schedules (May 18 was cited as a relevant deadline for one town) and discussed presenting contingency budgets tied to a ballot override question or submitting a single compromise budget to town meetings.

Procedural actions taken during the session included motions to set administrative permission ranges for student seats, approval of the consent agenda, and a vote to move into executive session to discuss collective bargaining or litigation strategy. The committee announced a budget roundtable meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, where it plans to vote on the budget.

What remains unresolved: the final assessment amounts Hampton and Wilbraham will approve, whether the state will appropriate additional Chapter 70 or other aid in time for FY27, and which of the proposed personnel and program reductions will survive the next round of budget negotiations.

The committee will reconvene for a budget roundtable on Tuesday, March 17 to vote on the FY27 budget and next steps.