Westwood Schools Face FY27 Deficit as Health, Salary Costs Outpace Revenue

WESTWOOD — January 21, 2026 — Westwood schools enter a difficult FY27 budget cycle after costs outpaced revenue under Proposition 2 and a half. At its January 21 meeting, the Westwood School Committee received a recommended FY27 budget from Superintendent Pivovar and heard findings from a month-long special education program review conducted by Ribas Associates, which examined eight areas including organizational structure, IEP services, the WABA program, ABA tutors, and the multi-tiered system of supports. School Committee Chair Maia Plotkin said the district entered its November budget review "immediately into a deficit situation" driven by rising health care, energy, and transportation costs plus locked-in contractual salary increases, with no relief available from state aid or the Hanlon-Deerfield consolidation efficiencies that buffered prior years. "Both town and school will feel the pinch of this economic climate," Plotkin said. The district scheduled two community sessions for the following week: a joint meeting with the Special Education Parent Advisory Council on January 26 and a Zoom-only office hours session on January 28, both at 7 p.m.