School Board Budget Proposal Shows 10.59% Increase
By Robin Vinci | Editor at January 15, 2024 | 6:00 pm | Print
Superintendent of School Kelt Cooper this week presented his 2015-16 budget proposal asking for a 10.59 percent increase including 60 new positions. The new budget would stand at $136,242,393. That’s an increase of $13,042,393 over the adopted 2014-2015 budget of $123,200,000.
“The budget is the culmination of multiple meetings with various departments,” said Cooper. “Elements of the budget are tied to new initiatives.”
Cooper said one of his goals is increasing the graduation rate.
“There is a large class ratio. There is no way to mitigate that reality unless you have sufficient teachers,” said Cooper. “We are very concerned with the new credit retirements. To close the achievement gap we also have to address oversize classing at the elementary and middle schools.”
Included in this year’s budget is the addition of 60 additional full-time staff. Forty-two of those are teachers; 27 are classroom teachers. The additional classroom teachers are requested to alleviate overcrowded classrooms, especially in the kindergarten and first grade levels.
Additional classroom space for new teachers would be freed up by moving a total of eight preschool classrooms, from Lincoln, Chamberlain and Smith, to a new preschool center created at the former Roosevelt Middle School. There would continue to be preschool classrooms at DiLoreto Magnet School, and at the new Gaffney Elementary School, to be completed for the next school year.
To alleviate overcrowding at Smalley Academy, located in a very mobile section of the city, the administration proposes altering the neighborhood schools border between Smalley Academy and Lincoln Elementary School. The result would be approximately 90 current Smalley students moving over to Lincoln next school year.
“We’ve looked at programs such as Kelley Services and have a proposal to go in-house,” said Cooper. “Perhaps we can develop more family support personnel.”
Cooper said he also is budgeting for school books so the district does not fall behind.
The superintendent has also proposed moving HALS Academy from its existing, rented space to the former Roosevelt Middle School. This would provide HALS students with needed classroom space, plus art and music rooms, a computer lab and media center, which the existing HALS building does not have. The district would save money by no longer paying rent for the existing HALS building.
“The budget presented here is a small cry short of what we really need to be competitive. We understand the economic plight of our community. We also understand if we don’t present the truth it would be disingenuous on our part,” said Cooper. “We have made very good gains with the limited resources we have been given. We have been prudent.”
In addition, the science and technology organization known as CPEP, which runs a program out of Slade Middle School, is looking to move from Middletown to New Britain. Under the superintendent’s proposal, CPEP would rent out two to three classrooms at the former Roosevelt Middle School. Students from both HALS Academy and the Satellite Careers Academy, also at Roosevelt, would be able to take advantage of CPEP’s programs.
The budget also calls for the creation of a district-wide warehouse, to streamline the purchasing and inventory of textbooks, furniture, supplies and other materials. The district has a potential space in mind in the city, at a cost of approximately $30,000 per year, after initial renovation costs.
“We are easily $30 million shy of where we want to be. Today’s budget does not reflect that. For us to be competitive we need $30 million.” Cooper added. “This is a far cry from what is needed. But, it keeps in mind the reality of the situation.”
“We have to decide, are we advocating for the status quo depending on what the state legislature does,” said Sharon Beloin Saavedra, “Or are we looking to trade-off and get rid of some of what we are doing. We have to know this is a wish list.”
The School Board will vote on a final budget to pass on to the Common Council on either Jan. 20 or 26. The Council can increase the budget from last year or keep it the same. It cannot decrease the Board of Education budget.
