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Transportation and technology services push support‑services budget higher
Summary
District staff told the board that pupil‑transportation costs are the main driver behind an increase in support services, citing contract increases, added routes and more special‑education transport time; technology and student‑accident insurance costs also rose.
Business officer Vinny Massiana told the Cheshire Board of Education that the support‑services section of the operating budget is growing primarily because pupil‑transportation expenses, technology contracts and student‑accident insurance are increasing.
Massiana said support services account for about 8.5% of the operating budget and that transportation (regular and special‑education routes, fuel and insurance) is the largest single component. He said the administration expects an overall transportation increase of about $331,000 driven by a contractual 4% increase with the vendor, the addition of general‑education routes as enrollment grows (each route costs roughly $80,000 a year), and more special‑education door‑to‑door runs that add route time and cost.
On insurance and other services, Massiana reported a roughly $20,000 increase in the district’s student accident policy, citing higher recent claims (primarily from athletics). That drove a 43% rise in that premium line item. He also pointed to recurring technology costs as an 11% portion of the support‑services increase, naming PowerSchool, Munis and an outsourced technology‑services contract as major, multi‑year expenses.
Massiana said the district has replaced 1,360 PC devices with current‑generation units mounted behind monitors and continues gradual upgrades of SMART boards to flat panels; about 30 SMART boards remain to be upgraded at the high school. He said work‑order and building‑use software has been upgraded this year and that the district continues to invest in network and device management.
Nut graf: The administration described transportation and rising insurance and technology subscription costs as the primary drivers of the support‑services increase, and it asked the board to consider those structural cost pressures when reviewing the budget.
Board members asked for details about private‑school transportation and trends in non‑public enrollment; Massiana said the transportation line for private schools (Saint Bridget) and other specific runs is budgeted separately. The board also asked about composting and garbage costs; Massiana said composting costs are currently covered by town‑level funds and that composting provides only a modest offset to hauling costs.
Ending: The administration will provide additional line‑item detail to board members before the next budget session and noted that some multi‑year contracts (e.g., energy performance payments) will expire in coming years, potentially reducing recurring costs.
