The Newtown Education Advocacy Group (NEAG) has released an updated budget fact sheet to share information about the proposed 2015-16 school budget.

The fact sheet was prepared by NEAG in collaboration with the school district’s Central Office, Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, and with Newtown’s PTAs and its PTSA.

As the fact sheet summarizes, the 2015-16 proposed school budget totals $71,587,946, which represents a $242,642 or .34 percent increase over the current fiscal year.

The school budget was approved unanimously by the Board of Finance to the $71,587,946 after a reduction to budget of $665,542, during its meeting on Thursday, March 12.

As Board of Education Chair Keith Alexander said during his board’s meeting on Tuesday, March 17, the reductions made to the budget are supported by the school board.

“I’m happy to say they have moved the budget on only with things that we agreed to as far as recommendations that had continued to come down due to things that were found, including insurance and other items,” said Mr Alexander, “and we are all very pleased with where the budget is down to at this point in the schedule.”

The 2015-16 school budget was passed on to the Legislative Council for review during its meeting on Wednesday, March 18.