FY27 School Budgets — A Quick Guide for Families

 

You may be hearing conversations about the FY27 school budgets, and we wanted to share a simple overview to help families understand the difference between the two.

 

Weston Public Schools has two different budgets each year — Operating and Capital. They fund very different things.

 

📘 Operating Budget — Day-to-Day School Operations

The Operating Budget pays for the people and services that run our schools every day:

✔ Teachers and staff
✔ Student supports & special education services
✔ Transportation, utilities, materials
✔ Health insurance & employee benefits

 

Key FY27 Takeaways

  • Proposed increase: 3.91%

  • About 96% of spending is tied to staffing, benefits, and legally required services.

  • Most of the increase reflects:

    • Contractual salary steps

    • Higher health insurance costs

    • Mandated student supports

👉 Important: The increase is largely about maintaining existing services — not adding new programs.

 

📰 Resident's Guide: This guide explains the approved FY27 operating budget, translating the final numbers into plain language and connecting budget decisions to the priorities and tradeoffs discussed during the public budget process.

🏫 Capital Budget — Buildings & Infrastructure

The Capital Budget focuses on long-term investments that keep schools safe and functional:

✔ HVAC systems, boilers, roofs
✔ Safety and emergency communication upgrades
✔ Indoor air quality & energy systems
✔ Fields, furniture, and facility equipment

 

Key FY27 Takeaways

  • Total request: $4.72M

  • Largest focus is replacing aging building systems.

  • Projects aim to prevent emergency failures and reduce long-term costs.

👉 Many projects replace systems that are at or beyond their useful life — not new construction.

 

📰 Resident's Guide: This guide explains the capital budget approved by the Board of Education, focusing on long-term investments in buildings, safety systems, and infrastructure. It outlines what projects are included, why they are needed, and the risks associated with continued deferral, in plain language.

🔎 Why Two Budgets?

Operating Budget Capital Budget
  • People & programs
  • Buildings & infrastructure
  • Recurring yearly costs
  • Long-term investments
  • Hard to reduce without affecting services
  • Can be planned over time

🗳️ What Happens Next?

Both budgets move through:

  • Board of Selectmen & Board of Finance review

  • Annual Town Budget Meeting

  • Town-wide referendum vote

💬 Our goal as a PTO is simply to help families understand how the process works so everyone can stay informed.