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Board of Education presents FY26 budget; superintendent emphasizes student outcomes, literacy academy and facility plans
Summary
The school superintendent outlined the proposed FY26 school budget, citing investments in curriculum, literacy intervention, classroom coaching and AP expansions while noting enrollment increases and capital priorities including accessibility and building projects.
The New Canaan public schools’ administration presented its proposed fiscal 2026 operating and capital budgets to the Board of Selectmen on Jan. 23, highlighting student‑centered investments, special‑education program growth and potential enrollment pressures.
Superintendent-level presenters described several priorities underpinning the FY26 request: expanding academic opportunities at New Canaan High School (more AP and college-level courses), continued investment in literacy intervention through an expanded Literacy Academy and an additional middle/high school math interventionist, and a classroom coaching role to support teachers’ instructional practice across elementary schools.
District finance staff said total operating requests are driven primarily by salaries and benefits — the district’s people‑centered services — and noted the schools continue to manage energy and other operational costs in the context of town‑wide efficiency efforts. The administration said it is monitoring enrollment projections closely: while overall district enrollment hovered near 3,990 students at the time of the presentation, demographic projections show a substantial rise in kindergarten cohorts in later years that could require future facility or program responses.
On capital, the district’s FY26 asks included building‑level repairs and upgrades, accessibility work and technology replacement. Significant items discussed were Waveny House exterior preservation work, an Irwin House exterior renovation estimate, and phased investments in the district’s mechanical and building systems. The presentation also described smaller capital priorities such as playground surface upgrades, athletic field irrigation and repairs, and an instructional audio/PA replacement at the high school. The district said some capital requests have been deferred or rescheduled while the town finalizes longer‑range enrollment and facilities planning so work will not conflict with potential school‑space decisions.
No appropriations were decided at the meeting; school leaders said they will proceed with the town’s budget schedule and present detailed budget materials to the Board of Finance and Town Council in the coming weeks.
(Reporting note: budget totals and program descriptions are drawn from the Jan. 23 presentation transcript and the Board of Education’s submitted budget documents.)
