Wethersfield presents 12 benchmarks from state data to guide budget season
Summary
An unidentified presenter walked the board through 12 district benchmarks—including 3,471 students, $19,741 per‑pupil expenditure, a 79.2 accountability index and a 4.8% suspension rate—based primarily on 2024–25 state data to inform budget decisions and negotiation planning.
An unidentified presenter (speaker 12) briefed the Wethersfield Board of Education on a 12‑item benchmarks packet sourced from Connecticut State Department of Education report cards, intended to ground upcoming budget discussions. The presenter said Wethersfield Public Schools has 3,471 students and spends $19,741 per pupil, while the district’s accountability index is 79.2, placing it in the upper third of its reference group. "All 12 of these benchmarks come directly from the Connecticut State Department of Education report cards and dashboards," the presenter said.
The presentation covered certified FTE (327.5), certified staff‑to‑student ratio (~9.03), administration‑to‑student ratio (noted as high relative to peers), free and reduced lunch percentage (26.4%), IEP prevalence (15.9%), English‑learner share (9.9%), chronic absenteeism (defined by state as missing 10% or more of days), and a derived ROI metric of approximately $263 per accountability index point. The presenter explained that much of the data reflects the 2024–25 school year because the state’s final data drops arrive in November and December. "This is based on last school year, 24–25," the presenter said in response to a board question about recency.
Board members thanked the presenter and said they would use the benchmarks to inform budgets and collective bargaining strategy. No budget vote occurred at the meeting; the benchmarks were presented as a foundation for future decisions.
