You do not need to be a policy expert to advocate. Your lived experience matters.

• Speak during School Committee public comment, you can do this by going in person, or registering for their zoom link and raising your hand during public comment. Find details on agenda and the zoom link to register on: https://framingham.k12.ma.us/198075_3

• Submit written public comment if speaking is not accessible, by emailing school_committee@framingham.k12.ma.us & citycouncil@framinghamma.gov

• Emailing your specific School Committee Member so they can hear your voice and consider this important matter when making decisions and the impact of those decisions when voting; here you will find their emails https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/82106_2

• It is equally important our message also reaches city council as they are the ones that give the final approval of a budget proposal and have the capacity to decide if more funds are allocated to our schools; here you will find their emails https://www.framinghamma.gov/Directory.aspx?DID=90

Please share how special education supports impact your child’s day-to-day school experience and advocate for protecting special education staffing and services

Below, you will find examples of SEPAC public comments from all recent meetings, as well as emails we have sent . Families are encouraged to review these examples and use language that feels authentic to their own experiences.

Together, our voices help ensure that funding decisions do not put our children’s education and well-being at risk.

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026

We would like to raise three concerns.

First, we encourage city leaders to fully fund the district’s level services request. Strong schools are essential public infrastructure and a long-term investment in our community.

Second, Framingham has been designated by the state as “Needs Intervention” in special education. Only 32 out of 403 districts fall into this category.   Most of the indicators driving this designation for Framingham relate to student outcomes. This is a time to strengthen supports for students with disabilities, not reduce capacity.  

Third, we ask for reconsideration of cuts to the Stapleton TLC program, including the BCBA position. While the district has described this role as supplemental, we have heard from community members that the position helped stabilize classrooms, strength data systems, address staff burnout, ensure IEP compliance, and reduce reactive placements.  Eliminating this position does not remove the need. It risks returning to overextended staff and unmet student needs.  Lack of professional teacher status should not influence budget decisions.

In summary, if we are one of the few districts in the state requiring intervention, then our budget decisions should reflect a commitment to continuous and sustained improvement.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to Framingham’s schoolchildren.

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING FEBRUARY 24TH JOINT FINANCE SUBCOMITTEE BETWEEN CITY AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 2026

My name is Alison Tejeda. I am a homeowner in Framingham, residing in district four and a parent to two children in the Framingham Public Schools. I'm also one of the co-chairs of the Framingham SEPAC, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to me. Strong schools with adequate funding are not a luxury. They are core public service and one of the most important investments a city can make. 

Special education specifically, is not a luxury. Families of children with disabilities often have fewer options and must carefully choose communities where services are strong. When those services are perceived as weak, families will make the decision to live elsewhere. This impacts enrollment, diversity, and the reputation of the district. 

Framingham Special Education Program is currently rated in the bottom 10% of districts in Massachusetts. When families of children with special needs reach out to SEPAC and ask if Framingham is a good place to move, we struggle with what to tell them.

 Special education, staffing levels, expertise, they all directly determine whether students receive legally required services, make meaningful progress, and families stay in the district. 

In closing, I respectfully ask the City Council to work with the School Committee to close the funding gap. Our students, our entire community are worth it. 

Thank you for your time.

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING FEBRUARY 4TH, 2026 (SEPAC commented at the beginning of the session and at the end)

Beginning of Public Comments

My name is Sarah Combs, and I'm speaking as a Framingham public School parent and as an ally to the Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Committe.

Over the past several weeks, SEPAC had the opportunity to engage with special education staff across the district to understand their lived reality in the classrooms and the impact proposed cuts will have for them in our children. We believe it is important to amplify their voices. 

What we recognize in these exchanges is that there is a consistent set of patterns that describe increased workload, reduced capacity and growing worry about students needs being met. 

Here are the themes that we heard most often.

Assistants are essential to student learning

“I cannot begin to share my appreciation for the Special Education Assistants in my building. My classroom includes 8 students on IEPs, some whom are dual identified ELL as well.  I would never be able to meet all of my students' individual learning needs without help from a team of Special Education Assistants. If Framingham thinks the level of student support will be the same with fewer Assistants, that the General Educators and Special Educators can pick up all of the slack, Framingham is sorely mistaken.”

“Reducing these positions would significantly impact our ability to support students safely and effectively… I would not be able to run my classroom as successfully without the support of my assistants.”

Inclusion and safety depend on staffing

“It would limit inclusion opportunities, compromise student and staff safety, and directly affect student success.”

Staff are already stretched beyond capacity

“Since January, my caseload has increased by approximately 20 students across two schools.”

“Existing staff were unable to support their assigned caseloads.”

Services are already at risk

“Many students’ IEP-mandated minutes were not consistently met, leaving students without the services to which they are entitled.”

“Our Float aides support academics, specials, inclusion, and behavior across classrooms, often stepping in for students without dedicated staffing in gen ed. Eliminating this position removes that extra layer of support, and the children pay the price.”

These are the adults holding our most vulnerable students every day. We should be protecting them, not stretching them thinner.

I personally attended the Joint Budget Committee meeting last week on zoom, and my understanding from that meeting is that the city has over $15 million in free cash that has not already been earmarked to cover other rising expenses. The city can afford to fully fund special educational services. Thank you.

End of Public Comments

We appreciate the slowdown before making decisions about all these vacancies in special ed, because much more detailed information than what has been provided so far is required for transparency purposes, because in special education, a vacancy does not mean a position is unnecessary. 

A vacancy means there is already a gap. And today you guys heard some of those public comments. When a teacher retires, resigns or transfer, the need does not retire with them. The students remained. The IEP remains the legally mandated services. Minutes remain. The workload remains. The only thing that disappears is the adult who was supposed to provide that support. 

We have shared consistently, and educators have also shared that students needs currently are not being fully met with the current staffing right now. So eliminating vacant positions does not protect services. It locks in a shortage that already exists. It makes today's strain permanent. It shifts the burden onto the educators and the students who are already stretched thin. 

We also want to address the data that has been referenced to justify this reductions. The information shared relies primarily on ratios and enrollment counts, but ratios are not the same as needs. They do not show intensity of services, they do not differentiate between sub separate programs, partial and inclusion classrooms. The data that we were provided was not differentiated. They don't capture the behavioral supports. The crises, the 1:1 needs or the planning time. 

So our position is simple. If discussions are truly driven in data, in the special education context where things are supposed to be fluid, then special education positions cannot be treated as line items on a budget balancing spreadsheet tied to a district enrollment drop or a budget gap. Nothing is more conflicting than that.

EMAIL SENT TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE SEPAC LIAISON ON FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 

SEPAC  appreciates the administration adding the recent memo, “FY27 Budget Reduction Effort – Student Impact,” in an attempt to offer additional context around the proposed staffing reductions. Providing clarification and rationale is important, and we value the effort to communicate more fully with the community.

At the same time, several statements within the memo raise questions that remain difficult for SpedEd families and educators to reconcile. We would greatly appreciate your support as our School Committee liaison in helping obtain and share the data and criteria behind these decisions so families and staff can better understand the rationale.

The memo states that:

“Special education staffing allocations are reviewed annually through a districtwide process that looks closely at both compliance and student need. This occurs without any relation to the budget.”

It also acknowledges:

“The number of students on IEPs, and their various services are fluid and shift annually…”

If staffing decisions truly occur without relation to the budget, it is unclear why these reductions are happening now, in the context of a significant districtwide budget shortfall.

And if student needs are fluid and intensify throughout the year, reducing staffing to bare-bones levels seems misaligned with that reality. Bare-bones staffing does not create flexibility. It creates a reactive system where educators are stretched thin and students wait longer for legally required supports.

Teachers across our schools have shared with SEPAC that they would welcome greater transparency around caseload sizes, service delivery demands, and the numbers being used to justify these decisions. We agree. If reductions are truly data-driven, the data should be disclosed.

Without that transparency, the narrative remains unclear. If students have not unenrolled (such as it happened in Hemenway), if classrooms remain full, and if needs continue to evolve, it is difficult to understand how entire special education roles are suddenly deemed unnecessary. Children do not “age out” of need overnight, and IEP services do not disappear because of a spreadsheet.

This is especially confusing given that other departments facing enrollment-based reductions, such as ESL and Fine Arts, saw positions reinstated, while federally mandated special education staffing continues to be reduced.

We respectfully ask for clearer information to support the community’s understanding of these decisions, including:

-current and projected special education caseloads by school

-staffing ratios and service delivery requirements  

-the criteria used to determine reductions or reinstatements by providing service minutes

-the specific data that informed these choices

Families and educators want to work collaboratively and constructively with the district. Transparency will help build that trust and ensure decisions reflect both student need and legal obligations.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for supporting clarity around this important issue.

Respectfully,

Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)

EMAIL SENT TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 29TH, 2026 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AmB7syL84xqPnBymPA89IN0QlKOnJDKdTTJRr-6nPY0

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING JANUARY 28TH, 2026

We want to offer some important context as we think about this budget, especially related to special education.

We appreciate that some proposed staffing cuts have been restored in tonight’s revised budget proposal.  SEPAC is requesting clarity around decisions to eliminate or leave unfilled special education positions.  While the overall student population has declined, it is not clear if there has been a corresponding decrease in special education enrollment, and whether the proposed reductions in special education staffing are proportional.  

We respectfully request the district show how changes in total special education enrollment align with special education staffing levels, so the community can understand whether reductions are proportional to actual student need. For example, Hemenway experienced no enrollment decline but stands to lose one special education teacher whereas Potter Road had a decline of 49 students and stands to lose one special education aide.

In addition, SEPAC is concerned that without adequate investment in in-district special education programs and staffing, the district will face more legally mandated out-of-district placements—a consequence that is disruptive for students and families and far more expensive than building internal capacity.  

Our students with disabilities deserve transparent, data-driven budget decisions that prioritize stability, expertise, in-district capacity building, and improved outcomes.  

We urge the city to increase local contributions so that the budget is not balanced on the backs of our hard-working educators.

EMAIL SENT TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 27TH, 2026 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AVJAjxOdIR9XWgeFaus-xEFONcdGZIxR0RcQECpwIfA/

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING JANUARY 27TH, 2026

We want to offer some important context as we think about this budget, especially related to special education.

Each year, the state evaluates school districts using something called the Special Education LEA Determination. The highest rating is Meets Requirements. Framingham’s current rating is Needs Intervention, which places us two levels below that standard and one step away from the lowest designation, Needs Substantial Intervention.

For Framingham this year, this rating was not about paperwork or compliance issues. In fact, it did relatively well in those areas. The lowest scores came from student performance and outcomes; whether students with disabilities are being effectively supported in practice. The state is signaling that we are failing our students with disabilities in things like academic progress, graduation, and whether students’ needs are being effectively met, in the classroom 

Against that backdrop, the proposed elimination of at least 13 student-facing special education positions, not including 18 campus aides who often can support students with IEPs depending the school, is deeply concerning.  These are the educators and staff who make services real on the ground, who help implement IEPs, support inclusion, and respond to complex needs. 

It is important to highlight that this Sped Ed Determination rating did not come out of nowhere. Over several years, repeated budget cuts, including cuts to professional development for special education staff, have slowly reduced in-district capacity. Their effects accumulate over time, especially as student needs continue to evolve and have gradually impacted in-district capacity. 

Under federal law, when a district cannot meet a student’s needs in district, it must fund an out-of-district placement that can. Those placements are extremely expensive. A single placement can easily cost around $100.000 dollars per year, even before transportation. We shall highlight that Lincoln's latest memo indicates the district is currently tracking nearly nine students who may require out-of-district placements before the end of this school year. 

By comparison, investing in in-district special education staff allows the district to support multiple students, build expertise, and strengthen programs that keep students learning in their own community. Cutting these positions does not eliminate costs; it increases the likelihood that we weaken our in-district capacity and trigger far more expensive, legally mandated placements.

Our hope is that as decisions are made, we keep this full picture in mind. Keeping strong our in-district special education capacity supports students and families and is also a responsible fiscal strategy, especially at a time when the state is clearly calling for improved outcomes.

Thank you for your time and for your care for all students in our district

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING JANUARY 21TH, 2026

We appreciate the mid-year FY26 financial update presented to the School Committee and recognize the complexity of managing the district’s budget. The memo also highlights how limited the remaining financial flexibility is, particularly given the ongoing and legally required costs associated with special education. As the Committee also discusses an anticipated $8 million shortfall for FY27, we believe it is important to view these conversations together.

Our organization is deeply concerned regarding the impact of the proposed staffing cuts.  These reductions would directly impact students who rely on consistent, specialized support to access their education and succeed academically and socially.

These supports are not optional; they are required to ensure students receive a free and appropriate public education and to allow them to make effective academic and social progress.

 Protecting special education services is essential to ensuring equity, inclusion, and the well-being of our most vulnerable learners.

We urge an increase in city funding for the school budget because strong schools are essential to a thriving community. Adequate funding ensures that students receive the academic, social, and emotional supports they need, educators have the resources to do their jobs effectively, and schools can meet growing and diverse needs. Investing in our schools is an investment in Framingham’s future.

Thank you.

PUBLIC COMMENTARY DURING JANUARY 7TH, 2026

SEPAC serves as an advisory body to the district and the School Committee, representing families of students with disabilities and collaborating to support policies and budgets that ensure students can make effective progress.

We recognize that this is a difficult budget season, with real fiscal constraints and uncertainty ahead. At the same time, we urge the district and the city to pursue creative and responsible solutions to close the budget gap without compromising the supports and services students need to access their education meaningfully and safely.

Framingham’s strength lies in its diversity. That diversity includes students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students whose success depends on consistent staffing, specialized instruction, and inclusive learning environments. When resources are reduced, these students are often the first to feel the impact—through larger caseloads, reduced services, or barriers to inclusion.

We strongly support providing educators with the resources they need to meet the needs of all learners. Protecting core supports is not only a legal obligation—it is also a sound investment that helps avoid higher costs down the line and ensures equitable outcomes for our community. Early and adequate supports help prevent more costly interventions down the line, including increased out-of-district placements, transportation costs, and crisis responses.

As budget decisions move forward, SEPAC asks that any proposed reductions be evaluated through an equity and special education impact lens, with transparency around both the rationale and the anticipated impact. Understanding not only what is reduced, but how those reductions affect students’ access, safety, and progress, is essential.

We strongly support providing educators with the resources they need to meet the needs of all learners. SEPAC looks forward to continued collaboration throughout this process and appreciates the Committee’s commitment to all students and families across Framingham.