DERBY – The school board Feb. 20 voted to ask the city to fund a $21 million budget for the 2025 – 2026 school year.
The bottom line is a 2.92 percent increase – or $615,201 – over the current budget. The proposed school budget totals $21,063,650.
“As we face escalating costs in special education, a budget request of less than 3 percent is reasonable,” Derby Board of Education Chairman Jim Gildea told The Valley Indy. “When combined with the expected increase in state revenue, this budget stands to better serve the needs of our students while also serving the needs of the City of Derby.”
The outplacement of special education students is a major concern of school districts in Connecticut. Outplacement refers to students sent to schools or programs outside Derby Public Schools, because their educational needs cannot be met locally.
Transportation and tuition for those outside schools and programs have risen at an alarming rate, Derby Superintendent Matthew Conway has told the public several times at school board meetings.
“From our own figures, it’s gone up 58 percent just in the past four years,” Conway said. “And we are on the low end. Other districts are seeing 60, 70, 80 percent increases.”
State lawmakers are aware of the problem, and are scheduled to pledge an influx of $40 million statewide to deal with special education costs. That money will go into the current budget in place.
School officials are also expecting increases in state aid, as outlined in Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent budget, which is currently under review by state lawmakers to be approved by June.
The budget summaries reviewed Feb. 20 show the district’s central office getting an increase of $84,115.
Derby High School is getting an increase of $362,869, while the high school’s athletic program is getting a boost of $77,773.
Derby Middle School’s cost is increasing by $197,302.
Irving School costs are increasing by $43,392. Bradley School costs show a decrease of $80,000.
The areas of increase, slightly outdated, as of Feb. 4.
