Cheshire schools propose $95.9 million budget with 7.09% increase; medical costs drive much of the rise

Cheshire School District administrators on Tuesday presented a $95,892,631 recommended budget for 2025–26, an increase of $6,350,000 (7.09%) that they said is driven mainly by salary and benefit costs and by higher projected medical claims.

At a public workshop, Chief Operating Officer Mr. Massiano walked the Board of Education through enrollment projections, staffing additions and the district's benefits and pension outlook. "The majority of our budget, as you know, is salaries. It represents about 80% of our total budget," he told the board as he outlined assumptions and line-item changes.

The budget proposal assumes a net increase of roughly 70 students districtwide for 2025–26 (25 additional in pre-K–6, 43 in grades 7–8 and 2 at Cheshire High School). Administrators included funding for a net one new elementary classroom teacher, a 0.5 school counselor to replace an expiring ARPA-funded position, two full-time speech and language assistant positions, a 9–12 science and math curriculum coordinator, a K–8 health education teacher, a districtwide art teacher and a 0.5 TESOL position, among other changes. The presentation stated the districtwide average class size is projected at about 18.8…