The Board of Education is asking for a 3.7 percent increase over current spending, with a $26.36 million budget proposal approved Wednesday.
The increase — a total of $943,671 over the current year’s $25.41 million budget — is driven by the usual factors of wage increases and rising insurance costs, Board of Education members said.
It also includes funding for a new fifth-grade teacher at Oxford Center School, a part-time social worker and two part-time language pathologists.
John Lavin, chairman of the board’s finance committee, said the spending plan meets the needs of the school district while finding creative ways to save — such as leasing textbooks and computers in a lease-to-purchase plan.
Now the school proposal will go before the Board of Finance. The Board of Education will present its proposal to the finance board on March 29.
Board of Education members Wednesday said they were pleased with the budget proposal, saying it is fiscally responsible and meets the needs of the district. The vote for the budget proposal was unanimous.
“I’m glad we got into our budget what we wanted last year, with curriculum support and policy support,” said Rose McKinnon, chairman of the board.
McKinnon was referring to stipends for a curriculum support consultant and a policy consultant included in the proposal. There is also a stipend for a dean of discipline at Great Oak Middle School.
