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Board approves Title I MOU and reinstates district‑wide Title I pre‑K with 75 seats
Summary
The board approved a memorandum of understanding for Title I teachers and voted to reinstate a Title I pre‑K program for 2026‑27, funded through Title I grants; the plan places one 15‑student classroom in five elementary schools (75 seats total).
The Nashua School District Board approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Title I teachers and the teachers union and reinstated a districtwide Title I pre‑K program for the 2026‑27 school year.
Union president Gary Hoffman (speaker 20) urged the board to approve the MOU and asked the board to publicize positions lost or at risk amid recent non‑renewals and resignations. "This will help out the district going forward long, to give clarity," Hoffman said, adding that many part‑time Title I schedules reflect decades of practice. Dr. Andre and staff explained that some Title I positions are federally funded and that the MOU memorializes long‑standing scheduling practices, including reference to historical tradeoffs (for example, some part‑time Title I staff historically received days off in lieu of health and retirement benefits).
The board approved the MOU by voice vote. Board members asked clarifying questions about FTE notations (for example, what 0.6 FTE means) and how Title I funding and staffing are allocated; district staff said exact Title I staffing will be finalized after a needs assessment and allocation process over the summer.
On a related motion, the board unanimously approved reinstatement of the Title I pre‑K program for 2026‑27. Administrators said the program will be funded from Title I grant funds and will place one full‑day pre‑K classroom (maximum 15 students) at each of five elementary schools (Amherst Street, Doctor Crisp, Fairgrounds, Lehi Street, and Mount Pleasant), creating 75 seats. Officials said the program model differs from the prior central‑site model by embedding pre‑K classrooms in neighborhood schools to strengthen continuity; district staff estimated prior enrollments at about 40–50 students under the earlier model and said the new configuration increases seats.
District administrators described likely admission logistics: zoned eligibility for a student's home school, with overflow/lottery procedures if a neighborhood program is full; standard school meal eligibility applies (free/reduced/paid) and lunch can be served in classrooms to avoid cafeteria logistics; staggered arrival/dismissal will provide planning time for teachers. Age eligibility will mirror kindergarten timelines (children must be four years old by Sept. 30 of the school year). The board approved the pre‑K reinstatement motion by voice vote.
Board members and public commenters praised the return of the pre‑K program while also pressing for transparency about staffing and budget decisions elsewhere in the district, including the elimination of several world‑language positions and other personnel changes noted by union leadership and classroom teachers. District staff said they will continue planning and scheduling details for the pre‑K launch and will work on communications and logistics over the summer.
