Consistent with statewide trends, student enrollment in Westford declined in recent years and the decline is expected to continue.  The Westford School board monitors student enrollment and works with its administrators to plan accordingly.   Without a high school in town, Westford pays students’ tuition to area high schools.  The high school student population has been declining, which requires fewer tuition payments, but tuition rates have increased over time.

Student enrollment at Westford Elementary School from 1999-2000 through projections for next year.

The Westford School Board’s more direct budget control is at the elementary school level, spanning grades pre kindergarten through grade eight.  The board has established minimum, optimum and maximum class size average guidelines by grade level.  Each year the resulting teacher staffing levels are determined utilizing strategies to help control total salary expenses without sacrificing the quality education we provide our children.

Westford’s professional employees (teachers and principal) each school year since 1999-2000. The values aggregate part-time teachers and show as full teacher equivalencies (FTE).

In the six year period beginning FY’08 through FY’13 we anticipate classroom teachers will be reduced from 13.00 to 9.83 and overall licensed educators will drop from 24.13 to 19.73.  This demonstrates the School Board’s responsiveness to declining student enrollment experienced in Westford, which it will continue to monitor and plan for in the annual budgeting process to ensure a continued high degree of fiscal stewardship as we plan for academic excellence in our elementary school program.

Refer to the graphic representations of these trends on the right.

Marilyn McConnell ~ Martha Heath, Chair ~ Andre Roy, Vice-Chair ~ Jennifer Townsend, Clerk ~ Nathan Lavallee