Southington board approves amended 2026–27 operating budget after debate over social worker and nexus-funded teachers
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Summary
After a lengthy debate about special-education staffing, transportation and insurance, the board approved an amended 2026–27 operating budget that moves four nexus-funded special-education teachers back to nexus tuition funding while retaining a proposed social worker; minutes record a 7–2 vote in favor.
The Southington Board of Education approved an amended 2026–27 operating budget after extended discussion about special-education staffing, a proposed social worker and budget pressures on taxpayers.
Miss Camuso presented the superintendent’s proposed budget of $130,187,074, described in the meeting as a 6.8% increase. She said the proposal originally moved four special-education teachers funded through nexus into the operating budget but recommended moving two instead, which would reduce the operating budget by $112,000. Board members debated whether to retain the social worker position in the operating budget, seek savings in insurance, and pursue other efficiencies such as transportation and bringing outplaced special-education students back into district classrooms.
Mister Carson urged removing the social worker from the operating budget unless a sustainable funding plan is identified, saying the position “should not be rolled into our operating budget.” Mister Brown, Missus Carmody and others argued the social worker is necessary given rising student social-emotional and safety needs. The board then discussed returning all four nexus-funded teachers to the nexus tuition line to reduce the operating total by $224,000; Miss Camuso accepted a friendly amendment to that effect while keeping the social worker in place.
The board took a roll-call vote on the amended motion. The chair announced an approval recorded in the minutes as 7–2. The meeting record lists the original proposed total ($130,187,074, 6.8% increase) and documents the $224,000 reduction; the amended total appears in the minutes as $130,000,000.75 and the recorded percentage as 6.71%. The board directed that the revised budget be forwarded to the town board of finance for its review.
The discussion included multiple requests for better data on transportation, partnership costs (CREC and Farmington Diagnostics), Open Choice tuition billing and the risk that nexus funding varies year to year depending on services provided to outplaced students. Several trustees emphasized the district’s ongoing efforts to return outplaced students when feasible to reduce outsourcing costs.
