Cheshire School District proposes 8.83% operating budget increase, citing staffing and benefit costs
Summary
The superintendent recommended an 8.83% operating budget increase (about $8.2 million) driven largely by salary and benefit costs, new hires to meet enrollment, special-education spending and added facility carrying costs as buildings are retired.
The Cheshire School District presented a superintendent-recommended operating budget increase of 8.83 percent, a roughly $8.2 million rise the district said is driven mainly by salaries, benefits and program needs.
COO Emily Taylor opened the operational portion of the budget presentation by saying, "We have the superintendent's recommended budget at 8.83%," and walked board members through assumptions, revenue offsets and a schedule that will include additional hearings this week.
District staff told the board the total budget includes substantial increases in staff-related accounts and medical-benefits costs. Taylor said the district's total budget figure was presented in the slides as part of the packet and that roughly half of the requested increase is attributable to salary increases and benefits.
Superintendent Solon and Taylor emphasized that some cost drivers are one-time or transitional: the district will close Darcy and Chapman and demolish the old Norton while bringing two new buildings online, which adds about 72,000 square feet to the district's inventory and creates roughly $100,000 in carrying costs through Dec. 31, 2026.
Board members asked for follow-up data on enrollment projections, historical budgeted vs. expended amounts and line-item detail; Taylor said more granular charts and the detailed budget book will be circulated and discussed at the next session.
The board did not take a final vote on the budget during the meeting; the presentation and Q&A will continue at a scheduled follow-up meeting later this week.
