Special Ed Reimbursement Uncertainty

Freezes School Operating Budget

By Eliza Hallabeck

The school district’s operating budget has been frozen, as the Board of Education learned during its meeting on Tuesday, October 20. Other topics covered by the school board during its meeting included passing two curricula, and updates on the board’s move to the upcoming move to the Newtown Municipal Center.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson and Interim Director of Finance Diane Raymoe learned at 5 pm that day the school district may not be reimbursed as expected by the state for special education costs. Dr Robinson said the school district expected to be reimbursed at 90 percent of the cost, but could now be reimbursed at 70 percent.

“Diane and I are going to have to take some action in terms of freezing our current operating budget even though it is only October,” Dr Robinson said, and added that action is freezing the operating budget.

Dr Robinson said a definite answer will not be known from the state until January. The possible change in the percentage of reimbursement could add $418,000 of unexpected costs to the budget, according to Dr Robinson.

The school board offices’ upcoming move to the Newtown Municipal Center was also discussed at the meeting. Dr Robinson said the move is expected for October 30.

The offices will also have to remain in action on that day, Dr Robinson said.

“We still have 6,000 students out there that we are responsible for,” she told the board. “We are going to have to keep phones manned.”

Board member Richard Gaines asked if the storage situation Dr Robinson had previously brought before the school board had been looked into further.

“Not long term,” she responded. All excess materials will be put into storage in Canaan House on the Fairfield Hills campus, Dr Robinson said.

“It still remains that we have 65 file cabinets that we not accounted for in the drawing,” said Dr Robinson. She later continued, “Canaan House is at best a temporary situation. It is a Band-Aid.”

Dr Robinson also asked the board to “bare with us if we are a little disorganized during the move.”

The school board offices will be located at 3 Primrose Lane once the move is complete.

The school board also unanimously passed the Grades K–9 Modified Writing Curriculum and the Grade 9 Western Studies Curriculum at the meeting.