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Audubon Board adopts $31 million budget after heated debate over music staffing
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Summary
The Audubon Board of Education approved the district's $31 million 2026–27 budget totals after public testimony critical of a proposal to replace a full-time instrumental teacher with two 29.5-hour part-time positions. Residents, students and alumni urged keeping full-time staff, while the superintendent said the vote covered top-line dollars and position specifics could change if circumstances shift.
The Audubon Board of Education voted to adopt the district's 2026–27 budget top-line totals, approving roughly $31,000,000 in planned revenues and appropriations after a public hearing dominated by appeals to preserve the district's music program.
Superintendent Allen presented the budget and described a mix of revenue sources — a 2% tax-levy increase, tuition from Mount Ephraim, state aid (largely flat), and roughly $31,000 budgeted for federal Medicaid reimbursement — and a breakdown of appropriations that put most spending into instructional programs. Allen said the proposed budget would raise taxes on an example home assessed at $204,700 by $347.93 annually (about $28.99 per month) and listed a tax rate shown in materials as 7.59.
Allen told the board she had sought ways to avoid layoffs and that the district planned to preserve positions where possible. To balance the budget she proposed targeted adjustments including collapsing one first-grade and one second-grade classroom and removing one academic-support teacher at Mansion, with duties redistributed through RTI/MTSS programming and internal reassignments. She also said administrators were considering a staffing change in instrumental music: instead of two full-time positions, the district's plan would convert the funding to two part-time instrumental positions (29.5 hours each) to provide more on-site coverage at both school sites while limiting benefit costs. Allen cautioned that hiring for part-time roles could be difficult; if suitable candidates are not found by July the board would revisit the plan.
Public testimony was extensive and overwhelmingly urged keeping full-time music staff. Sue Moore, a former elementary music teacher, said she supported full-time teachers to provide continuity and consistent student contact. Students, alumni and parents described the band program's role in college admissions and career pathways, gave personal accounts of how one-on-one lesson time matters for skill development, and warned that part-time positions historically lead to turnover. Rob Bradshaw, an Audubon graduate and local orchestra conductor, said the change could make it harder to grow the program; other commenters recommended an alternative staffing mix (a full-time high-school director plus a part-time elementary instructor).
Board members asked clarifying questions about how lesson periods, duties and after-school stipended activities (jazz band, marching band) would be covered under part-time hires. Allen said after-school stipends would continue and that scheduling could be adjusted so lessons are preserved; she also said the advertised total budget amount would remain unchanged by the staffing configuration change because converting a full-time role into two part-time roles keeps the top-line appropriation similar given benefit-cost differences.
The board conducted a roll-call vote to approve the budget's top-line dollar amounts. Members voting "yes" in the recorded roll call included Joe Kennedy, Allison Cox, Danielle DiFrancesco, Mark Gaddy, Sarah Kullen, Allison Lipsky, Andrea Robinson, Steven Wilson and Amy Davis; the chair declared the motion passed. Board members clarified that the vote adopted the total appropriation and that staffing details remain subject to administrative adjustments and future committee review.
In response to public questions about whether capital funds could be diverted to pay for positions, the business administrator and superintendent said the listed $250,000 capital allocation is restricted to capital improvements (for example, HVAC work) and cannot legally be used to pay salaries under Department of Education rules.
What happens next: the board approved the budget totals, and administrators said they will continue the HR and hiring review process, revisit staffing plans if needed and report further to the HR committee. The board scheduled its next regular meeting for Wednesday, May 13, at which it will continue routine business and committee follow-ups.
Sources: Public presentation and board discussion at the Audubon Board of Education public budget hearing; public comment from parents, students, teachers and alumni.
