Officials defend proposed reductions to elementary special-area staffing; administrators say studentsprogramming preserved

District staff told the Wallingford School District Operations Committee on Jan. 30 that a proposed staffing plan would reduce 1.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in elementary special areas and not replace two recent retirements (one middle-school art position and one world-language position). Staff said the changes are driven by districtwide enrollment declines and the number of unutilized instructional "sections," not by a targeted removal of a specific program.

"I do not agree with reducing those positions," Caroline Reyes, vice chair of the operations committee, wrote in a statement read into the record. Reyes said last meeting she had questioned the middle school schedule and expressed concern that, under the new schedule, some students could "go through their entire middle school career without being able to take an art class." Her letter asked for clarifications on specific budget lines including elementary parking increases,…