Norwich School District board approves $101.6 million budget and permits limited food sales at after-hours events

The Norwich School District Board of Education voted to adopt a $101,556,166 budget for fiscal 2026–27 after a presentation that highlighted rising tuition, health-insurance costs and contractual salary obligations as the main cost drivers. Superintendent Susan Lessard said the proposed plan "focuses on maintaining strong programming for students, meeting our contractual and mandated obligations, and being thoughtful about how we allocate every dollar."

Board finance staff quantified the increase: health-insurance and net tuition together account for roughly $3.13 million (about 3.24 percent of the total), salaries add about $1.5 million (1.6 percent), leaving only about $240,000 of the 5.9 percent increase for other line items. "The budget increase really comes down to 3 areas: it's the health insurance expense, our tuition expense, and salaries," a district finance official said during the presentation.

District leaders told the board that special-education outplacements remain the largest budgeting wildcard. Staff noted recent in-district investments such as the Rose City School and a resilience program that aim to reduce outplacement costs; the board budget assumes a 70 percent excess-cost reimbursement rate for planning purposes. Lessard and staff also outlined enrollment and tuition shifts: the district reported 3,254 in-district students and continues to be financially responsible for roughly 2,000 additional students placed in magnet or out-of-district programs.

After discussion, the board voted to approve the budget. The motion was moved by Greg Perry and seconded by Chris Milton; the tally was 6 yes, 0 no and 1 abstention. The adoption means the district will present the proposal to the city in the next steps of the municipal budget timeline.

On related business the board approved six proposed policy revisions (child-abuse response; student discipline; student records; administration of medications; curricular exemptions; parent access to instructional materials) in a single package by unanimous voice vote.

On nutrition policy, the board certified compliance with the Connecticut Nutrition Standards for the 07/01/2026–06/30/2027 period as required by state law, and then considered a separate, required vote on an exemption. The board approved a motion allowing sale to students of foods that do not meet the state nutrition standards only if three conditions are met: sales occur at an organized event after the regular school day or on weekends, sales happen at the event location, and items are not sold from vending machines or school stores. District counsel and staff emphasized the exemption applies only to sales to students at targeted events and that the board or administrators must define when the school day ends for enforcement. That exemption vote was unanimous.

The board also set a special meeting for May 6 to present a new redistricting map and hear community comment. The meeting later moved to executive session for the superintendent's midyear review; no public votes were taken during the executive session.

What happens next: the approved budget will move to the city manager and then to city council hearings and votes as part of the municipal budget process; the district will finalize enrollment and cost assumptions as state and city decisions (including any ECS funding changes) become clearer.