DARIEN, CT — As this year’s school budget process marches on in Darien, officials are imploring board of education members to be mindful of rising costs, while community members say proposed cuts will negatively impact the student experience.
A public hearing was held this week on Superintendent Dr. Alan Addley’s proposed $121.5 budget for 2024-2025. The spending plan represents a 6.2 percent increase, or $7 million, over the current year’s budget.
Included in Addley’s budget are proposed staffing cuts and administration restructuring, notably the elimination of several teaching positions and the world languages department chair, the combining of the district’s art and music departments, and changes to special education administrative positions.
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On Jan. 23, several board of education members proposed adding some of the cuts back into the budget, the Darien Times reported, following pleas from residents who said education would be negatively impacted.
During the Jan. 30 public hearing, which was held in person and broadcast via Darien TV79, Board of Education Chair Jill McCammon said Addley’s proposed budget “sets out a series of changes focused on improving recruitment and retention [of staff], and augmenting instructional and mental health services for students. It strives to do so through enrollment-based staffing changes, redeployment of resources and identifying staffing efficiencies.”
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McCammon said she looked to correct a narrative being circulated in the community.
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“There are no proposed reductions to special programming, including music or world language classes in the superintendent’s proposed budget,” she said. “The proposed reductions pertain to the number of staff who deliver or administer specials in world language, as noted, and as many of you are aware, the board is in the process of evaluating this change.”
Darien Board of Finance Chair Jim Palen explained that the town gave guidance on a 3-4 percent budget increase, which accounted for inflation.
He said a 6.2 percent increase would be the highest increase in the past 10 years, and “would likely generate the largest ever tax increase that Darien has seen in my 16 years of being involved here.”
“I implore the board to reconsider our guidance which was originally 3-4 percent, I implore you to listen to the efficiencies and the student/staff ratio calibrations being proposed by your leadership team and work with them to find more efficiencies to deliver the same great education we have year after year,” Palen added. “The financial stewardship and the delivery of a great education can coexist and have coexisted in this town for many years.”
Ed Washecka, chair of the Representative Town Meeting Education Committee, said his fellow members were “surprised” by recent proposals to restore some proposed cuts.
“I suspect that the RTM does not support and will not support a 6.2 percent increase, yet after the last meeting, based on proposed additions to the superintendent’s budget, the Board of Education budget seems to be trending higher,” Washecka said. “I don’t understand it. Are we not in the same reality?”
The RTM will have the final say on the budget in May.
“The RTM will vote on it. If the RTM votes it down, the result will be painful for everyone, but especially for our students,” he said.
Joanna Walsh, co-chair of the Council of Darien School Parents, said the proposed budget shows a disregard for world language, art and music.
“Every personnel change in this budget affects student experience, and to pretend otherwise is dishonest,” she said.
The Board of Education is slated to approve a recommended budget on Feb. 13. The Board of Finance will review the proposal on Mach 5, with a public hearing scheduled for March 12, and a vote on April 9.
The RTM will take up the entire town budget on May 13.
Check out the entire Jan. 30 public hearing on Darien TV79. Pertinent school budget documents can be found here.
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