The Shelton Board of Education started ironing out its 2012 – 2013 budget proposal Wednesday — and members are aiming for about a 1 percent increase.
Superintendent Freeman Burr presented a draft budget proposal to the Board of Education that seeks about $64.3 million in 2012 – 2013.
The board currently has a $63.7 million budget, so if the request is eventually approved, the district would get about $632,000 more next year.
However, this is just the first step in the process.
Burr is still ironing out the details, and the board will continue talking about the proposal at its regular meeting on Dec. 14.
Once the Board of Education approves its budget request — which board members anticipate will happen on Dec. 14 — the budget goes through a long process before final approval in May.
Mayor Mark Lauretti makes his budget proposal typically in February, then the Board of Apportionment and Taxation reviews both the city and school budget proposals.
The spending plan is then reviewed, possibly tweaked and then approved by the Board of Aldermen.
The Details
The district expects about eight teachers to retire in 2012 – 2013 — which would save about $922,384, according to Burr.
However, the remaining teacher and administrator salaries are increasing by about $765,000.
Other increases include health benefits costs and for the transportation contract.
The district also expects to have 120 fewer students next year — which will result in about five fewer teacher positions across the board.
Burr has proposed rearranging the budget from those five positions to help pay for another 2.5 guidance counselors, a media specialist, a physical education teacher, a Gifted and Talented teacher, and a part-time social worker.
The district also hopes to add some more tutors, a reading teacher, and technical education teachers through federal grant money, according to Burr’s presentation.
No More Pay To Play?
The big push in 2012 – 2013, however, is to phase out the “Pay to Participate” program, which charges students fees to participate in sports and extra curricular activities.
During a budget crunch in 2010, the district implemented the Pay To Participate program.
This year, the district has charged $250,000 in fees.
Next year, board members hope to only collect $125,000 in fees. If that happens, it means less money for the district — but the students could expect to pay half as much in activities fees.
But, Burr said, if the district gets a zero-percent increase, it won’t be possible to eliminate Pay to Participate because they have to focus on teachers and education programs.
“What kind of school system do we want to have?” Burr said, adding that he likes sports as much as anybody. “Education is about student achievement.”
