The Bridgeport School District’s Education Finance Committee on Nov. 19 heard details of a state‑led effort to overhaul the district’s budget process.

An unidentified district presenter said the deputy commissioner and a new state technical‑assistance team met with district staff for about four and a half hours earlier the same day to begin developing a written, transparent budget timeline. “They are helping the district and staff … in developing a full transparency budget process that we’re going to be implementing this year,” the presenter said during the meeting.

The team’s work will incorporate 34 recommendations from a recent audit and is intended to bring principals and directors into building‑level budgeting so the board — and the public — can track how priorities are set. The presenter outlined target dates: initial materials to principals were described as expected in early December, with review and return dates to follow.

Board members asked for specifics about the word “deliverable” and how the draft timeline would align with the mayor’s and state submission deadlines. The presenter said deliverables will be written documents with clear due dates and that the state team will help align district calendar items with municipal and state reporting requirements.

Members emphasized outreach: the committee agreed staff should prepare talking points and documentation the board can use in meetings with legislators and community groups. Superintendent Doctor Avery said the district will provide board members with talking points and that the central office will coordinate a schedule of sessions with the district’s legislative delegation.

Next steps: staff will return to the committee with the written timeline and sample deliverables, and the district said it expects further meetings with the state team in early December.

The committee approved the meeting minutes at the start of the Nov. 19 session and adjourned later that evening.