Schools

Board of Education Announces 1% Budget Increase for 2011-2012

Greatest increase seen in special education funding.

Acting Superintendent Patricia Brozek proposed the 2011-2012 North Haven Public School budget last night at a special meeting of the Board of Education. Brozek presented the Board with a $44,389,014 budget request, a $439,664, or 1%, increase over the 2010-2011 budget of $43,949,350.

The greatest increase in this year's proposed budget would be in special education outplacement and tuition, accounting for 44% of the increase, or $196,634. Overall, special education funding would account for 23.6% of the 2011-2012 budget, with the majority of the money going towards the salaries of staff, and tuition for the 54 North Haven students placed in out-of-district programs run by ACES or other State-approved facilities.

"We have to take a look at the outplacement process, our own resources, and see what can be done about bringing kids back," commented Brozek.

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Board member Alicia Clapp noted that such a decision would have to be carefully considered.

"We have to make sure we're not being penny-wise and pound-foolish," said Clapp. "You can't bring a child back into the system to save $55,000 and have him or her upend three whole classrooms."

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Also noted was a 2.5% uptick in the cost of medical insurance, and a 2% wage increase for teachers.

$271,987 of the budget was put aside for computer-related capital requests, including one new printer for each of the town's four elementary schools, efforts to improve servers and wireless functionality at the High School and the Middle School, and renewing lease agreements on PCs and laptops in all schools.

Explaining her rationale for budgetary decisions, Brozek said she cleaved to three core principles when crafting the proposal: support funding to maintain class sizes at their current levels and maintain all existing programs; review the efficiency and optimization of staff and operations; and continue professional development initiatives for staff.

Brozek added that these priorities can be voted on by the Board and changed by the incoming Superintendent should the need arise.

Stephen DiCapua, Vice-Chairman of the Board thanked school staff and the BoE for their hard work on the budget, saying, "You're all excellent educators, and for a couple months out of the year we ask you to be businesspeople."

DiCapua continued that if board members or staff noticed discrepancies or omissions from the budget, they would be able to voice concerns in the coming week.

The budget will be voted on next Thursday, February 10 at the next Board of Education Finance and Operations meeting.


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