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Shelton School District projects narrow reserve, plans limited layoffs and hiring freeze
Summary
District finance staff told the board the projected year-end fund balance is about $333,000, prompting hiring freezes, furloughs and the prospect of fewer than 10 certificated layoffs; staff and unions urged the board to prioritize keeping positions if state special‑education funding increases.
Shelton School District finance staff told the school board on a regular meeting that the district is projecting a slim positive fund balance of about $333,000 at the end of the year and remains structurally short on staffing dollars, prompting a hiring freeze, continued furloughs and a planned reduction in force affecting fewer than 10 certificated staff.
The update came during Clinton Sherman’s budget status presentation. “We’re projecting out is a positive fund balance at the end of the year of about 333,000,” Sherman said. He described a structural gap driven by state funding formulas and current staffing costs: “That make sense? Great. And so what that does is it generates a negative of 5,500,000.0 in in just salaries, not talking about the different MSOCs we’ve made cuts in the last couple of years.”
In later remarks, a district staff member identified as Tabitha detailed personnel actions under consideration and timelines. “We anticipate will be less than 10, total staff members, certificated staff members, and ... all of those individuals will be notified of that, no later than April 4,” Tabitha said. She and Sherman said the district has already reduced 55 positions since last year, limited non‑staff spending, reduced overtime and implemented furlough days for administrators and non‑represented staff.
Why it matters: The fund balance the district projects is well below recommended reserves. Sherman said the district aims for a multi‑million‑dollar cushion (roughly 4% of the budget) and that the current projection is “not a lot of cushion.” The board heard that levy dollars remain essential to maintaining current services; district staff described how levy contributions generate additional state “levy equalization” funds. “For each dollar that a taxpayer chooses to with their yes vote to give to the district, the state gives another quarter,” Sherman said.
District leaders emphasized they will continue to hire for specialized roles as required. Tabitha said vacancies will be filled only if essential; specialized positions such as special‑education and multilingual staff will continue to be prioritized for hiring if vacancies occur. The district also reported furlough savings of roughly $144,000 for the current year.
Board and community reaction: Multiple union and staff representatives spoke during public comment urging the board to minimize staff cuts and to prioritize returning positions if additional state funding materializes. Several speakers pointed to pending state budget actions, including a special education proposal that could increase funding statewide. During the legislative update, board staff highlighted Senate Bill 5263 as a potential source of additional special‑education funding if enacted; staff cautioned that final funding and timing remain uncertain while state revenues face a shortfall.
Votes at a glance: The meeting record includes two routine motions the board approved without recorded roll‑call tallies: a motion to approve the agenda and a motion to approve the consent agenda. The transcript records vocal assent (“Aye”) after both motions but does not list individual vote names or counts.
What’s next: District staff said any certificated employees subject to layoff will receive notification by April 4. The board did not take additional formal action on staffing during the meeting; staff will return with follow‑up materials as decisions progress and as state budget developments emerge.
