Wareham, MA: Over $2M for out-of-district placement of SPED students

Feb 5, 2018, Local Wicked Wareham (MA): District wants to reduce number of out-of-district students http://wareham.wickedlocal.com/news/20180205/district-wants-to-reduce-number-of-out-of-district-students Many students in Wareham are on buses headed out of district and out of town every day during the school year, many of them to address specific learning issues. The district wants to bring as many as possible back home to Wareham schools. … With town officials openly stating in December that they could not afford any increase in the school district budget - a total proposed budget of $29.4 million for the upcoming school year - and with a steadily declining student enrollment since 2008 – down to around 2,300 students for 2018 as opposed to more than 3,000 in 2008, it may seem like a tough marketing campaign to get students back to the school district. Bringing back the students who are now transported out of district would likely save the district money. But, of course, there would be a need for more staff to address the needs of the larger student population, too. … For 2019, Wareham expects to pay about $2.5 million in out-of-district tuitions, a jump from $2.4 million for this year. “Our student enrollment is decreasing, this we know, but our special education student enrollment is not decreasing,” said MacMillan. In the school district’s fiscal year 2019 budget request, contracted costs for special education in/out district transportation is listed at $455,050. …