During two budget workshop meetings, January 11 and January 23, the Board of Education reviewed the remaining proposed budgets within the 2017-18 Superintendent's Requested Operational Budget Plan.Superintendent's Requested Operational Budget PlanIt looked at the proposed budgets for Newtown's seven public schools at two budget workshops The Newtown Bee.TransportationTransportation Task Force UpdateSpecial Education And Other BudgetsThe Superintendent's Requested Operational Budget Plan is available on the district's website, .newtown.k12.ct.us

While reviewing the proposed transportation budget, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue also shared an update about the ongoing work of the district's Transportation Task Force, which is looking at the configuration of bus routes and school start times ahead of next school year. Dr Rodrigue estimated the task force would be ready to present findings around March, and the school board's eventual decision following that presentation may or may not have an impact on the 2018-19 budget.

is $75,990,687, or a 2.22 percent increase over the current fiscal year. The school board will continue to review the spending proposal before approving its budget, which will then be passed on to the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for review.Dr Rodrigue first presented her proposed budget to the Board of Education at its first budget workshop meeting on January 9. As presented, the

A public hearing and discussion on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30, and the board is then scheduled to adopt its budget at a meeting set for Thursday, February 1. Both meetings will be held at the Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, at Fairfield Hills, at 7:30 pm.

, held on January 9 and January 11, as previously reported bySince the start of its budget workshop meetings, the school board has reviewed different aspects of the proposed spending plan.

At its meeting on January 23, school district Business Director Ron Bienkowski reminded the board that the 2017-18 school year is the first year of All-Star Transportation's five-year contract, which, according to the proposed operational plan, includes transportation for local in-district routes, local special education, and sports.

The first year of the five-year contract has a flat rate, but Mr Bienkowski said a three percent increase is contracted for the 2018-19 year. Each consecutive year of the contract also has a three percent increase. Mr Bienkowski explained the contract also includes a four-year phase-in process to replace older diesel buses with propane-powered buses, and 13 diesel buses will be replaced next school year.

The Superintendent's Requested Operation Plan shares "The Newtown Board of Education will be contributing in the effort of becoming less dependent on fossil fuels as we begin to convert our transportation fleet over to propane-powered vehicles. Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, 25 percent of our fleet was replaced with propane-powered vehicles. Within four years, our entire fleet will be replaced. The propane infrastructure and location was provided at no additional cost to the district by All-Star Transportation."

A federal energy tax credit had been assumed for the 2017-18 school year to reimburse costs for propane fuel, but it did not materialize and it is not expected to be reinstated, according to Mr Bienkowski. Propane costs $1.09 per gallon, according to his presentation, but he expects the cost to go up next year, partially due to distribution costs.

"Right now, if we were to purchase natural gas today, it would be 40 cents more... that 40 cents more would be plus $30,000," Mr Bienkowski explained, adding later that the bids for fuel will be negotiated with the town in partnership with roughly 40 other towns in a few months. "We try to predict what is going to happen."

Costs associated with propane fuel caused some concerns for board members at the meeting. Board member Andrew Clure requested the average miles per gallon for propane, diesel, and gasoline for buses. He also questioned changing to propane buses at a greater expense than diesel buses.

According to the Superintendent's Requested Operational Plan, the transportation services proposed budget is $4,573,677, a $133,685 increase from the current year's budget of $4,424,982. The budget also reflects the 2017-18 change to a two-tier transportation system, from the prior three-tier system. Having schools run on two-tiers of school start times, according to the document, lowered labor costs, but increased the number of buses needed for routes by 3.5 local buses and one special education van.

EdAdvance provides out of district transportation, and Mr Bienkowski said the contract increase is stipulated between a 2 and 3 percent increase for the next two years.

While sharing information about the Transportation Task Force, Dr Rodrigue said the task force is working toward presenting proposals in March.

"We are looking at hopefully a no-cost solution," said Dr Rodrigue, "but, at the same time, I was asked to look at [scenarios] if we had a dedicated fleet at Reed."

The Board of Education voted last June to change to this year's two-tier bus system, which allowed later school start times at Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School. After roughly two months of addressing concerns associated with the reconfigured transportation system, Reed Intermediate School began releasing five minutes earlier at the end of October and two bus routes were split to create direct routes to Head O' Meadow Elementary School and Reed. The Transportation Task Force reconvened last month to review possible improvements for school start times and transportation next school year.

Without sharing details of how the scenarios would work, Dr Rodrigue explained at the January 23 meeting two scenarios of having a dedicated fleet of buses solely used to transport Reed students. One option would add nine buses to the fleet with the two-tier system, and it is estimated to cost $500,000. Another option, which would utilize 20 additional buses and a three-tier system with Reed on its own tier, is estimated to cost $1,188,439, according to Dr Rodrigue's presentation. Both scenarios were said to get rid of the current shuttle system used to transport Reed and elementary school students.

During the meeting's public participation, resident and Transportation Task Force member Katie Burke shared disappointment and frustration over a proposed three-tier route configuration she had worked on and proposed with resident Lucia Kortze. Ms Burke explained All-Star Transportation was quick to dismiss the route as not being possible, on two separate occasions. She asked the school board to not accept quick answers from the transportation company, but instead to ask for details.

"I would like details, and I would like spreadsheets," said Ms Burke.

Director of Pupil Services Deborah Mailloux-Petersen spoke at the January 11 meeting about the proposed special education budget. As proposed, the special education budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year is $10,450,106, a $125,788 increase over the current budget.

According to the operational plan, the district's special education program serves roughly 570 students, roughly 13.7 percent of the student population, and the largest budget driver "is not necessarily the total number of students but rather the service needs of each individual student." Ms Mailloux-Petersen said Newtown is following a state trend of increasing the number of students in special education programs each year.

Ms Mailloux-Petersen also addressed questions about how her department is addressing the cost of out-of-district tuition costs for students, saying the department piloted two programs to address students that have been outplaced. She also said she is in conversations with other districts to look at a potential in-district regional program to keep students in-district.

"We've been working really hard at developing programs and working with the staff, giving them the professional development that they need so that we can appropriately program for the students," said Ms Mailloux-Petersen.

At both the January 11 and January 23 meetings, the school board also reviewed the proposed technology, Continuing Education, plant, benefits, general services, pupil personnel, health, curriculum, and special education budgets.

Board of Education Chair Michelle Embree Ku asked her fellow board members to let Dr Rodrigue know if they would like any further information on any of the proposed individual budgets ahead of the scheduled January 30 budget workshop, so the appropriate school district representatives can attend the meeting to answer any questions.