Wayland School Committee closes FY25 balanced, approves 2026-27 calendar

WAYLAND -- June 25, 2025, Wayland schools will close FY25 balanced after a partial spending freeze and one-time offsets. Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Susan Bouchon told the School Committee on June 25 that the district had "weathered a notably difficult financial year," projecting a roughly $4,000 surplus on a budget over $50 million after substitute costs ran $50,000 above last year. Offsets included a state extraordinary relief award, a $114,000 E-rate reimbursement directed to technology, grant and revolving fund draws, and paused curriculum purchases, sources Bouchon warned were not recurring. Superintendent David Fleischman, now permanent after serving as interim, said the district has exhausted internal efficiencies: "I think we're done. We're not going to be able to reduce anymore without impacting services." The state Special Education Reserve Fund is rising to $500,000 from $150,000. The committee also unanimously adopted the 2026-27 calendar and entered executive session on an open meeting law complaint filed by resident George Harris.