Nashoba panel withdraws from most school-choice seats, preserves limited openings at several grades

The Nashoba Regional School Committee voted April 29 to withdraw from the district’s school-choice program for the 2026–27 school year while keeping a limited number of openings at specified grades and schools.

Superintendent Kirk Downing and district presenter Ms. Masterson told the committee the recommendations aim to protect class-size limits and account for projected new housing. "I'm recommending that we open a total of 48 seats," Ms. Masterson said, detailing allocations including third- and fourth-grade seats at several elementary schools, fourth and seventh seats at Florence Sawyer, and small openings at select high-school grades while recommending the 10th grade remain closed at Nashoba Regional High School because that grade exceeds the district cap.

The recommendations call for classroom maximums intended to preserve instructional quality: keeping 22 students per class as a general guideline, a 220-per-grade cap at the high school, and no more than 260 per K–8 cohort in certain calculations. The presentation also incorporated enrollment projections tied to the Alta development in Bolton when assessing available seats.

After committee members asked for additional context on current school-choice enrollment and prior lottery history, the body closed the required school-choice hearing and brought the motion forward in the regular meeting. The motion to withdraw from school choice with the listed grade-by-grade exceptions passed on a unanimous recorded vote.

What happens next: district staff said they will notify affected families and run lotteries if demand exceeds the preserved seats. Superintendent Downing also said the committee will be updated if additional data—such as the number of current school-choice students by grade—warrants adjustments when final enrollment figures are available.