[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6749501,"mediaKeyId","2623726-98e237c40a92b5f709dc7a4c1b0a1d9a","parentId",2623726,"title","Darien School District proposes 4.39% budget increase, 20.6 FTE reduction as leaders seek $2.7M in savings","audioSeconds",2496,"startMs",136000,"endMs",2632000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2623726-98e237c40a92b5f709dc7a4c1b0a1d9a&start=136&end=2632","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2623726-98e237c40a92b5f709dc7a4c1b0a1d9a/thumbnail_136000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6749501/Connecticut/Darien-School-District-proposes-439-budget-increase-206-FTE-reduction-as-leaders-seek-27M-in-savings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6749501-8cb81a81cefe2a547da920a69636cb8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135463&Signature=n3-~NJj95UBZmS3VgOjT1~jsFA78zVcbdVE3ltbvjWGmEKNLIqp64~yzzNYmngXJ3lf5fWgRtVNtXxQfu~zJmxTJc0VE7HCYMEnjzOLjEg1Ajwbgi~2OOasy3mQgIpnWgzIldK6PRcVCmvowx3HjConiQe~KT2nXsq0ShnCmNqwoi66p5IIsqWWd67PavPf2bZI0vN72rkK0wI~33tRjsFmL0UjY-e3QE9EgMD6-vkTj~z0pC109M2hBJJIgjv04tnL~P2EHyv~DpdaMTDv0uOd6lmRpNlMXfnjsbMPgHIgoC3TfO54lVuo95m1X0nT8hRNgZLzrt~hytH44CA1uGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Darien School District","date","2025-01-13T11:41:01.543Z","article","Darien — Superintendent Alan Adley told the Board of Education that the district’s proposed fiscal 2026 operating budget would increase total spending by 4.39% and that administrators identified roughly $2.7 million in reductions to reach that figure.

The proposed budget “is about how our students learn, how we support our educators, and how we deliver essential services to everyone,” Adley said during a presentation that the board opened for public comment. He told the board that 82% of the fiscal 2026 budget is dedicated to personnel salaries and benefits and that personnel costs, special-education outplacements and grant compression are the principal drivers of budget growth.

Why it matters: personnel and special education costs take up the bulk of the spending plan, limiting the district’s flexibility. The superintendent described several tradeoffs administrators used to reduce the request, including staff reductions, program changes and deferred capital items.

Key details from the presentation

- Personnel share: “Recognizing that 82% of our fiscal year 26 budget is dedicated to personnel’s salaries and benefits,” Adley said, framing personnel as the core budget pressure.
- Reduction target: Adley said the administration identified about $2.7 million in reductions to present a 4.39% proposed increase that he judged “reasonable for the board to respond to and for the community to support.”
- FTE and staffing changes: The proposal shows a net reduction of 20.57 full‑time‑equivalent positions. The superintendent singled out the elimination of 15 elementary instructional paraprofessionals and noted other reductions that include gifted-program positions, a behavioral assistant and adjustments tied to enrollment changes.
- IDEA (gifted) program: Adley described the IDEA gifted program as serving about 237 students with 3.3 FTEs and said the administration is proposing changes to how gifted services are delivered — including a version of classroom‑based differentiation — as part of the cost reductions.
- Special education: Adley said outplacement costs are a major growth driver, with individual placements ranging from roughly $75,000 to nearly $100,000, and noted the budget assumes a 70% state excess‑cost reimbursement rate.
- Other adjustments: The plan proposes new hires for an occupational therapist and a board‑certified behavior analyst (BCBA), insourcing some special‑education staff, reductions in select nursing and security positions, a revised facility‑study scope and deferrals of some technology and athletic equipment purchases.

Options and trade‑offs

Adley presented alternatives the administration used to balance priorities: reducing professional‑learning time allotments rather than eliminating them entirely, seeking savings by reassigning one director of security to a half‑time director/half‑time floater role, and replacing some paraprofessional duties with student interns. He said the PLC (professional learning community) proposal had been reduced from an earlier figure and that some previously proposed increases were trimmed to reach the reduction target.

What the board did not do tonight

No final budget decision was taken at the special meeting. The board recessed briefly because of audio/streaming issues and reconvened to complete the presentation; the chair opened a public comment period and scheduled a longer, detailed review at an all‑day session on Saturday and a formal public hearing on Feb. 4.

Public response

During the comment period, many parents, alumni and residents urged the board to preserve the IDEA gifted program and to reconsider eliminating elementary instructional paraprofessionals, arguing those cuts would harm students and send a negative message about district priorities.

Looking ahead

Board members and staff said they will continue detailed budget discussions at the scheduled all‑day Saturday meeting and review community feedback before making recommendations to the Board of Finance and finalizing the fiscal 2026 request.

Ending note: The district’s next scheduled meeting to continue budget review is an all‑day session on Saturday; a formal public hearing is set for the evening of Feb. 4, according to the board’s calendar.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Special Meeting - January 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Darien — Superintendent Alan Adley told the Board of Education that the district’s proposed fiscal 2026 operating budget would increase total spending by 4.39% and that administrators identified roughly $2.7 million in reductions to reach that figure.","taxTitle","Darien School District, School Districts, Connecticut","taxId",55224,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6749496,"Parents, alumni and students urge Darien board to keep IDEA gifted program amid proposed cuts",1233,3180000,4413000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2623726-98e237c40a92b5f709dc7a4c1b0a1d9a&start=3180&end=4413","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2623726-98e237c40a92b5f709dc7a4c1b0a1d9a/thumbnail_3180000.jpg","/articles/6749496/Connecticut/Parents-alumni-and-students-urge-Darien-board-to-keep-IDEA-gifted-program-amid-proposed-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6749496-ef70dd27204a775441c7768ee34c4b51/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135463&Signature=o1ENQlBvtPH5TJm7ZLUBAFuhM3Rd-QRq7RLiAEMa7z-AgvOiJcdTuqwhDXZQnuCbKodfChYsCXyPxgkt0-SYm1yx3bwaPLPJWm-mykJrJQwb02NVmJYIKQU0dM~C1TO91LtK3uHvGghm6dB06oO~h40rZkdRIVzrbQ8MFgJhZr7l62pH3lf4gpjkHdYrTKmehc42TC-NIa4kVtP42EXlxTRdjDd2aUQ5Sp1hzI1~OQt06kM5EJlJ2-KtBCW8qII53~G6K-KqWMJM0akid0GCePFO48T62iALiNXxzDD6oDhrW5msSOabL34YcBBNcCktS8ne7XOYj9SvACp~MsMC~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Darien — Parents, alumni and other community members urged the Darien Board of Education to preserve the district’s IDEA gifted program and to reconsider eliminating elementary instructional paraprofessionals during a public‑comment period opened after Superintendent Alan Adley presented the fiscal 2026 budget.

Community members said the program — which Adley described as serving about 237 students with 3.3 full‑time equivalent staff — provides specialized instruction and social cohorts that are not easily replicated in general classroom settings.

“An IDEA as it is is insufficient,” said parent Kevin Fullington, but ‘‘it’s the only place I learned anything’’ for his child; Fullington added that removing the program would “eliminate any support for our gifted and talented students.”

Caroline Comfort, a member of the PTO executive board for the district’s gifted program (DAEG), told the board: “We ask that you do a little homework and have all the data necessary to make an informed decision,” and requested IDEA be removed from the cut list while the board explores alternatives.

Alumni also spoke about long‑term impacts. Christina Molkentin, a medical student and DHS graduate who described herself as an IDEA alumna, said the program provided mentoring and challenge she credits in part for later academic success. “I was given a space to build my social and emotional skills with peers in the program,” Molkentin said.

Other alumni echoed those remarks. William Duraco said he attributed academic and career success in part to the district’s IDEA programming and urged the board to “seriously reconsider” any proposed cut.

Parents and commenters made several recurring points:

- Instructional support: Several speakers warned that eliminating 15 elementary paraprofessionals would remove supervision and in‑class supports that help both early‑grade teachers and students.
- Program reach and identity: Multiple commenters emphasized IDEA’s cohort and mentorship functions and said classroom differentiation alone would not replace the program’s benefits.
- Equity and district competitiveness: Speakers argued that neighboring districts’ elementary differentiated offerings help sustain higher rankings and that cutting IDEA could weaken Darien’s comparative standing.

What the speakers did not request tonight: no legal action or formal alternative budget was presented during public comment; speakers asked the board to retain the program or explore other options before finalizing reductions.

The board accepted public comment and will consider the testimony ahead of a more detailed Saturday budget review and a Feb. 4 public hearing.","Darien — Parents, alumni and other community members urged the Darien Board of Education to preserve the district’s IDEA gifted program and to reconsider eliminating elementary instructional paraprofessionals during a public‑comment period opened after Superintendent Alan Adley presented the fiscal 2026 budget.","actionData","errors"]

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Darien School District proposes 4.39% budget increase, 20.6 FTE reduction as leaders seek $2.7M in savings

Parents, alumni and students urge Darien board to keep IDEA gifted program amid proposed cuts