Manchester superintendent outlines $9.55 million cuts, urges aldermen to restore funding

Superintendent Camille told the Manchester School Committee on April 14 that the district must prepare to address a $9,550,281 shortfall between the tax-cap-compliant budget the school board approved in February and the mayor's proposed budget.

Camille said the district leadership team had reviewed line by line to find options that would preserve student experience where possible, but that "none of these recommendations I believe are in the best interest of our District or support the work we've been actively engaged in over the past few years." She warned the choices "don't come pain free" and said several proposed reductions would blunt measured gains in graduation, attendance and discipline outcomes.

The superintendent outlined a package of reductions and temporary measures designed to reach the mayor's number if it becomes final. Key proposals included pausing planned athletics expansion, reducing contract-service spending (used for speech, OT, PT, nursing and some special-education roles), a district-office reduction-in-force to be achieved through…