Falmouth, MA: District needs $1M for SPED Stabilization Fund
- The end of childhood
- Jul 11
- 2 min read
July 10, 2025, Cape News: Falmouth School District Seeks $1 Million For Special Ed Stabilization Fund
The School Committee this week approved the draft of an article it hopes to send to November Town Meeting, requesting $1 million to replenish the district’s special education stabilization fund.
The Finance Committee and the Select Board will have to weigh-in on the article before it can make it on the warrant.
Every year, the district budgets money to cover special education costs. But if costs come in higher than expected, money from this stabilization fund is used to pay the bills.
Paul J. Dart, director of finance for the district, said special education expenses are a complicated issue. The major contributing cost, that is nearly impossible to forecast, is out-of-district specialized education requirements. If a Falmouth student needs specialized educational services that the district itself cannot provide, the district is required by law to cover the cost of sending that student out of district, Dart said.
These types of expenses can include residential program tuition, transportation, and specialized, contracted services such as occupational therapy or medical aid.
Municipalities are responsible for paying for those expenses, Dart said. . . .
Planning a budget can be difficult because students who require specialized education could move into the district at any time or current students’ needs could change. Dart said out-of-district budgetary needs are evaluated monthly.
During the two previous fiscal years, the district had to use money from the stabilization fund to cover higher than expected expenses. Last year, a total of $2.9 million had been budgeted, but total costs came to $3.6 million. A total of $56,133 currently remains in the fund.
If necessary, the district could request funds from the state’s circuit breaker fund, but those funds would not be distributed for a year. Emergency relief federal funds are another option the district could pursue. Funds from the town would be the most secure and immediate way to ensure students requiring specialized services have their needs met, Dart said.
“The town has historically been very supportive of our special needs population,” Dart said.
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