Wilmington School Committee approves mid-year budget transfer, hears special education report

WILMINGTON -- March 26, 2026, Wilmington School Committee hears sweeping special education report and approves mid-year budget realignment. At its March 26 meeting, the committee received a presentation from Special Education Director Kristine Murray and staff member Maura Kilbride showing that students with disabilities make up 19.7 percent of district enrollment, below the state average, with 182 initial evaluations completed to date this year, 114 of them parent-initiated. The committee unanimously approved a motion allowing the director of administration and finance to shift salary adjustment funds to proper line items and to distribute $2,539,000 in circuit breaker funds to special education tuition and transportation, against a total district budget of $51,723,526 with a February 28 balance of roughly $119,785. Members also heard a first reading of several policy revisions, including removals of outdated class-ranking and graduation-ceremony policies, to return at the next meeting for a second reading, and the committee took no vote on a proposed town meeting warrant article to name the high school's Athletic Hall of Fame display after volunteer Jack Tawner.