Superintendent Proposes Budget With 4.87 Percent Increase

Southington School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. on Friday released his proposed budget for the 2013-14 school year, presenting a plan that would call for an $86.45 million request to address needs to meet the state’s new Teacher Evaluation Plan and Common Core Standards initiatives.

The request represents a 4.87-percent increase over the existing operating budget of $82.44 million for the 2012-13 school year.

Erardi said in a letter to the Southington Board of Education that increases in salary and health insurance, a change in staffing to address state mandates, the implementation of an all-day kindergarten program and allows the district to continue to grow and address the ever-changing needs of Southington students.

“It is my belief that this proposed budget represents the program priorities set forth by the Board of Education and also represents a plan that continues to maintain and enhance the needed resources for all children,” he said. “As your school superintendent, I believe that this budget allows the school board to fully prioritize both present and new initiatives, and ultimately, continues to move this district from great to world class.”

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One of the largest increases in the 2013-14 proposed budget comes in the form of health insurance, which is set to increase by $860,000 next year, a 7-percent increase in the overall operating budget.

The town came to an agreement with the Southington Education Association on a teachers contract in late 2012 that significantly increased the educators’ portions for health insurance, but the contract and growing costs mean additional financial needs within the district as well.

The step based for teacher raises will require additional funding for salaries and the potential implementation of all-day kindergarten would require an additional 12.5 paraprofessional positions, in addition to a shuffling of the staff.

With growing administrative needs to meet state standards, Erardi said the district will also need to set aside funds for a K-12 Science Coordinator, a position of Teacher Leader, an assistant social studies and science director position at the high school (a stipend for an existing staff member), an assistant athletic director and paraprofessional staffing.

The proposed budget also calls for $271,303 for a three-year phase in of technology upgrades and technology support staff.

Overall, the plan would add 19 new certified staff positions, although it would also eliminate 11 others for a net gain of 8 staff members. Erardi notes that staffing in 2012-13 was the lowest it has been in the last seven years.

Perhaps the most controversial piece of the proposed budget, however, is the plan to implement all day kindergarten. In the budget presented, Erardi asks the board to consider including $147,745 for new furniture and equipment, as well as $198,196 for staffing.

There have been mixed reactions from the community to the latest plan, with many supporting the effort at recent Board of Education meetings and numerous opponents joining together to sign a petition asking that the district maintain a half-day program currently in existence.

“This proposed superintendent’s budget maintains the core of our existing program and also includes initiatives that look to recapture lost programming and/or are presented to the Board of Education as additional needed resources because of our statutory obligation to the Teacher Evaluation Plan and to the Common Core State Standards initiative,” Erardi said.

The district is expected to release a digital copy of the full proposed budget on Monday and the Board of Education is expected to begin reviewing the budget on Tuesday during a workshop in the Council Chambers at Southington Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.

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