District overview
How one committee, elected across five towns, decides what Wachusett students get — and what changed this year.
Wachusett is not run by a single town. Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling share one School Committee of 16 elected members, and each town gets more or fewer seats based on its population. Once elected, each member's vote is also weighted by their town's population share, so a Holden member's vote counts for more than a Princeton member's. Passing a budget takes two steps, not one: the Committee has to approve it by a two-thirds weighted vote, and then the towns themselves have to approve it too, at Town Meeting, in at least four of the five towns, before July 1. If that deadline is missed, the district runs on a temporary month-by-month budget until the towns settle it.
Holden elects 6 members, Rutland and Sterling 3 each, and Paxton and Princeton 2 each — counted directly from the 16-member roster published in the district's own FY27 budget book.
Each member's vote is weighted to roughly match their town's share of the five towns' combined population, so passing anything requires building support across town lines, not just among individual members.
A budget needs a two-thirds weighted vote from the Committee, and separate approval at Town Meeting in at least 4 of the 5 towns by July 1 — confirmed in the Business & Finance Subcommittee's February 24, 2026 minutes and repeated by the Chair on May 19, 2026.
The Committee first adopted a $134.8 million budget in March, cut it by $1.7 million in April after a health-insurance savings deal, and all five towns approved the revised number by summer — without any town needing to hold an override vote.
None of this means the towns fight every year. FY27 passed in all five towns without an override, and the district's most recent independent audit found no findings and no disagreements with management.
A 4.44% increase over FY26. This was later reduced after a mid-year health insurance savings deal (see below).
Down $1,738,645 from the total assessed in March, after the district's benefits costs fell more than $2 million.
6 from Holden, 3 each from Rutland and Sterling, 2 each from Paxton and Princeton, counted directly from the roster.
$75 per enrolled student — the district's third straight year in the state's 'hold harmless' status, down from a $3,415,519 increase in FY24.
Enrollment fell 122 students (1.84%) in FY26, per the same narrative.
The $134.8 million FY27 budget divided by roughly 6,500 students. This covers transportation, benefits, and central services — costs a school-level allocation alone would not include.
About 300 students and 22 planned courses were at risk when the district's Early College partner, Anna Maria College, closed without warning. The district lined up new partnerships with Quinsigamond Community College, Clark University, Worcester State University, and Nichols College to keep the program running.
Existing Instructional Support appropriation; no new town funding identified so far
The Committee approved $675,000, split across all five towns, to install bi-directional amplifiers in every school building so police and fire radios work inside during an emergency. The FY27 capital budget also funds a new auto shop floor at the high school and a stairlift and security-camera upgrades at the Early Childhood Center.
FY27 Operations & Maintenance appropriation, apportioned to the five towns
The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission and Gienapp Architects presented findings from a district-wide facilities survey, including issues identified at the Early Childhood Center, to help the Committee prioritize future capital projects.
Regional planning technical assistance; no district capital spending decided yet
The district's Director of Human Resources, Facilities Manager, and Director of Special Education & Student Services are all retiring by mid-2027. The district plans to post the HR and Facilities openings immediately and hire a consultant to lead the search for a new special-education director.
Existing salary lines in the FY27 general fund budget
Holden · $41,408,155
Holden's town meeting approved its share of the revised regional school budget, $41,408,155, after a district-wide health insurance deal cut the total assessment by $1,738,645. The Wachusett Regional School Committee reported all five member towns had approved the revised budget by July 2026.
Official source · verified Aug 19, 2026
Paxton · $8,544,902
Paxton's town meeting approved its share of the revised regional school budget, $8,544,902, after a district-wide health insurance deal cut the total assessment by $1,738,645. The Wachusett Regional School Committee reported all five member towns had approved the revised budget by July 2026.
Official source · verified Aug 19, 2026
Princeton · $6,982,502
Princeton's town meeting approved its share of the revised regional school budget, $6,982,502, after a district-wide health insurance deal cut the total assessment by $1,738,645. The Wachusett Regional School Committee reported all five member towns had approved the revised budget by July 2026.
Official source · verified Aug 19, 2026
Rutland · $18,383,604
Rutland's town meeting approved its share of the revised regional school budget, $18,383,604, after a district-wide health insurance deal cut the total assessment by $1,738,645. The Wachusett Regional School Committee reported all five member towns had approved the revised budget by July 2026.
Official source · verified Aug 19, 2026
Sterling · $14,236,114
Sterling's town meeting approved its share of the revised regional school budget, $14,236,114, after a district-wide health insurance deal cut the total assessment by $1,738,645. The Wachusett Regional School Committee reported all five member towns had approved the revised budget by July 2026.
Official source · verified Aug 19, 2026
Sourced from Wachusett Regional School District's own School Committee agendas, minutes, budget book, and independent audit, published on wrsd.net and checked on a weekly schedule. Covers August 2025 through August 2026.
We read every agenda, packet, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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