Cheshire school leaders outline $2M-plus savings plan, propose staff cuts and fee increase

Town of Cheshire school officials presented revised proposals April 8 to reduce the proposed FY2025–26 education operating and capital budgets by roughly $2 million, saying the package combines staffing reductions, fee increases and line-item cuts while leaving some costs — notably medical benefits and contractually committed energy improvements — largely intact.

“We're gonna continue our proposed FY2526 operating and capital budgets,” Peter Talbot said, opening the committee discussion and turning the presentation over to district staff. Jeff (school staff member) and Ben (school staff member) walked committee members through a line-by-line set of changes they said were intended to close a roughly $2 million gap from earlier figures.

The presentation lists three classroom teaching positions proposed for elimination (including a chemistry position at Cheshire High School and two additions previously included for enrollment growth and elementary physical education), a 0.5 full-time equivalent multi-language-learner position cut, and an assumption of six retirements factored at $25,000 each to reduce net payroll costs. Jeff said the draft reduces the certified-salaries subtotal by about $2.4 million and noncertified salaries by about $800,000, producing a roughly $3.2 million overall increase from the prior year that the redactions aim to temper.

Parae…