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Superintendent warns New Haven faces $23 million gap; urges support for state funding bill
Summary
Superintendent Negron told the finance committee the district can close only a portion of a projected $23 million shortfall through internal cuts and that passage of state bill SB1151 would be decisive.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Toni Negron told the Finance and Operations Committee on April 7 that the district faces a projected $23 million shortfall for the 2025–26 fiscal year and that internal reductions could identify about $4.26 million in savings but would produce additional painful staffing cuts.
"Unless we're able to identify revenue, I don't know what other cuts we will be able to make to fill the gap," Dr. Negron said during the budget update presented by finance staff. She said a $5 million contribution in the mayor's proposed city budget would reduce the deficit but still leave roughly $18.7 million to find.
Negron highlighted state legislation labeled in the meeting as SB1151 as a potential remedy. "If that legislation were to be approved, it would bring in $42,700,000 to New Haven," she said, adding that the district would be able to cover the $23 million deficit and restore additional staffing and materials currently funded with expiring federal grants.
Finance team staff described three budget scenarios: (1) a status-quo staffing baseline; (2) a status-quo baseline with vacancies filled that would raise the request further; and (3) a full staffing model tied to district staffing guidelines. The presentation showed personnel are the primary cost driver (about 84% of general fund expenditures), with special education tuition and transportation also increasing.
Committee members discussed options to pursue revenue, including a public outreach campaign to parents, teachers and community members asking them to contact state lawmakers. Dr. Negron said she plans to pursue an outreach effort modeled on other districts that succeeded in winning state-level changes.
Officials warned the board that without new revenue the district would need to identify hundreds more personnel reductions beyond the first tranche already under review. The committee asked for clearer slides that show the difference between highest-priority vacancy fills and the full set of staffing needs under the district staffing guidelines.
Ending
Staff agreed to provide additional detail at upcoming meetings, including an estimate of expected contracted costs for permitted-event labor and a clearer, annotated slide set that separates highest-priority vacancy funding from a full staffing restoration scenario.
