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Middletown leaders defend 3.99% superintendent's budget as residents and council demand answers on special education, bus contract and staff cuts
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Adley presented a 3.99% superintendent's budget at a March 31 workshop; council members pressed the district on $37'$38 million in special education costs, a DATCO bus contract amendment adding $500,000 annually, legal expenses and proposed staffing reductions that include family liaisons and interventionists.
Superintendent Dr. Adley presented a 3.99% superintendent's budget to the Middletown Common Council and Board of Education on March 31, asking council members for feedback before the board votes this week.
The budget arrived amid pointed questions about per-pupil spending and how the district's roughly $25,000 per-student net current expenditure compares with state and peer districts. "We are in the middle of the DRG," Dr. Adley said, adding that Middletown's per-pupil figures are slightly above the state average of about $24,000 and that spending is concentrated in several areas.
Why it matters: Council members and board representatives pressed administrators for evidence that the higher spending yields improved outcomes, asking for clearer accountability measures and data linking dollars to classroom results.
Key budget drivers and numbers - Special education: Administrators said the district budgets around $30 million in the general fund for special education and expects roughly $7 million from grants, for a total near…
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