Wayland School Committee weighs $57.7 million FY27 budget at Feb. 11 vote

WAYLAND — February 2, 2026 — Wayland School Committee reviews $57.7 million FY27 budget with 4.98 percent increase. The proposal eliminates just one teaching position, at Claypit Hill, through attrition tied to declining elementary enrollment, while expanding Spanish immersion into eighth grade and maintaining co-teaching across the elementary schools. Administrators flagged out-of-district tuition increases of up to 32 percent, special education transportation up more than 23 percent, and a 12 percent health insurance assumption as the biggest pressures, noting personnel is 83 percent of the budget and that similar cuts to last year's 10-plus positions were not possible "without having a real impact on class sizes." The district will seek $300,000 for the special education stabilization fund at Town Meeting. A budget vote is possible Feb. 11. Resident Andrew Carpenter used public comment to demand process guardrails on Article DD, which involves the school-controlled parcel at 25 Holiday Road.