Darien School District finance committee reviews March budget and eyes larger purchase of decodable reading books

The Darien School District Board of Education Finance Committee reviewed the district’s March financial report Thursday and discussed increasing a recommended transfer to buy elementary "decodable" phonics books.

District finance staff reported a positive general fund balance of $342,027 for March, an increase of $67,248 from the previous month. "We do show a positive balance of $342,027," said Rich, a district staff member presenting the report. Staff attributed the month-to-month change to several line-item variances, including roughly $80,000 in public-tuition savings when a placement did not occur and nearly $15,900 in athletics transportation savings after some teams used fewer buses than anticipated.

Staff also noted a number of step-and-level and stipend savings in student-interest clubs and honor societies that contributed to the surplus. Special-education RCs were reported in a positive position overall, while some general-education RCs showed small projected deficits tied to the proposed materials purchase.

On state aid, staff said the estimated excess-cost reimbursement rate remains at 67.93 percent; the final installment that will determine the final amount is expected at the very end of May, around Memorial Day.

The committee spent extensive time on a staff recommendation to transfer $50,000 to pay for "decodables," consumable, phonics-focused paperback books used primarily in early grades for repetition and fluency practice. "They're very small short books with phonics patterns built in for repetition for fluency work," Rich said when explaining the materials and grade-level use.

A committee member said they had asked each school’s PTO to consider contributing $5,000 apiece (a total of $25,000) toward the purchase. Committee members debated whether PTO funds should be asked to subsidize curriculum purchases. One member noted that, as 501(c)(3) organizations, PTOs often hold reserves but questioned whether the district should rely on those reserves to fund items the district considers part of curriculum.

After discussion, committee members signaled they could amend the recommended transfer from $50,000 to $75,000 and said staff should follow up with principals and PTOs about whether the PTO contribution was still needed. "We would amend the transfer to 75 before Tuesday when the board actually votes transfer," a committee member said. The change had not yet been formalized in a committee vote in the transcript; the transfer will be placed on the full-board agenda for Tuesday.

Committee members also asked about rising substitute-teacher costs reflected in superintendent adjustments. Staff said substitute spending is somewhat higher than last year but roughly in line with the prior year and attributed the increase to costs for long-term leaves, which are processed through long-term substitute accounts.

The committee moved toward adjournment at the close of the session; the transcript contains no recorded vote on adjournment. The full Board of Education is slated to consider the budget transfers, including the decodables funding, at its next meeting on Tuesday.