Litchfield board weighs $3.9 million in budget cuts, tables decisions until full board meets

The Litchfield Elementary School District Governing Board on Feb. 19 discussed administrative proposals to cut roughly $3.9 million from the 2026–27 budget and voted to delay formal action until the full five‑member board can meet.

CFO Vaughn told trustees that, depending on special‑education revenue assumptions, the district faces a next‑year shortfall that could range from about $3.2 million (with projected special‑education growth) to as much as $5.4 million if those revenues do not materialize. "Based on these projections, we believe we should reasonably be targeting $4.5 to $5.5 million of reductions," Vaughn said, and presented a menu of levers administrators say can reach roughly $3.9 million in savings under the recommended mix.

The presentation broke the options into district‑level reductions, certified‑support staffing changes, class‑size adjustments and calendar or raise changes. Vaughn said district‑level and department reductions identified to date total about $687,000 and that a tightened implementation of current class‑size staffing standards could produce savings…