Willington board outlines deep cuts and options after 32.4% insurance spike drives $879,549 increase

At a March 17 special workshop, the Willington Board of Education reviewed six budget scenarios showing a $879,549 increase — roughly an 8.78% change — driven primarily by a 32.4% jump in the district’s health-insurance costs, Superintendent Stevens said.

Stevens told the board the administration modeled outcomes if insurance bids come in lower (22.4% and 12.4%) and produced six “impacts” that lay out progressively smaller cuts. He recommended applying the district’s remaining non-lapsing fund balance, $161,000, to next year’s budget to offset special-education costs and said doing so would reduce an expected outplacement savings so the projected benefit falls from about $300,000 to approximately $139,000 (Stevens later gave an alternative figure of $131,000 in discussion), underscoring the trade-off of spending reserves now to cover next year’s obligations.

Why it matters: With Board of Finance appropriations scheduled to begin the following Thursday, Stevens warned that the current insurance estimate — not yet finalized until competitive bids arrive — is the main driver of the district’s worst-case scenario. If the 32.4% figure stands, the district’s modeling shows substantial program and staffing losses that would affect students’ schedules and program access.

Most significant proposals and impacts

- Staffing: Under the most severe scenario, the administration proposed eliminating three staff-support-specialist positions (estimated savings $151,000) and listed five positions that would follow in order if deeper reductions are needed: elementary world language, a half-time middle-school PE position, a middle-school intervention paraprofessional, a library paraeducator, and a middle-school world-language position. Stevens stressed that removing any of these positions would require significant schedule rework and would reduce middle- and elementary-school program opportunities.

- Direct student impacts: The administration flagged a possible move to ‘pay-to-play’ athletics (estimated to save roughly $34,000) that would cost families about $240–$250 per sport. Several board members voiced strong opposition to charging students to participate in sports because of the district’s high poverty rate and the risk of excluding students for whom extracurriculars are critical.

- Instructional resources and technology: Stevens identified line-item reductions that could include pausing Chromebook replacements (putting the replacement cycle to zero next year), cutting library book purchases ($9,500), and trimming district supply lines (roughly $9,714). Stevens said such cuts would defer costs but leave the district behind on technology and materials.

- Non-lapsing funds: Stevens proposed applying the remaining non-lapsing fund ($161,000) to offset special-education outplacement costs; he warned that repeatedly applying the fund would eliminate that contingency for future unbudgeted outplacements and require returning to the Board of Finance if new outplacement costs appear.

Negotiation and creative options

The administration presented mitigation ideas that would require bargaining-unit agreement: (1) a one-year increased waiver/stipend (proposed up to $5,000) for employees who can demonstrate outside coverage, which the superintendent said could save a notional six-figure amount if several employees accepted; (2) a side-letter of understanding rather than reopening full contract language; and (3) exploring whether bargaining units could assume a larger share of premium increases (for example, an additional 1%) or whether limited wage-freeze options for non-union staff could be feasible. Stevens cautioned that any option requiring changes for union members would need union approval and careful legal drafting.

Board action and next steps

By voice vote, the board approved increasing the health-insurance amount reflected in the district’s request to the Board of Finance to the $879,549 figure (as the board’s current best estimate) so the Board of Finance would see the district’s worst-case number while insurance bids are pending. Stevens said he would send a simplified summary and a press/communication draft to board members and would provide updated numbers to the Board of Finance as soon as final bids are returned.

Public comment

Residents and town leaders urged caution and more public engagement. Resident Nick Tel recalled a prior School Building Committee staffing-reduction plan and urged the board to consider options already identified. First Selectman Mr. Maku said town-wide conversations remain important and encouraged more community engagement about trade-offs. Parents and residents, including Jamie Copra, asked the board to exhaust non-classroom reductions and independent review before cutting positions that directly affect students.

What’s next: Insurance bids are due early next week, and the Board of Finance begins appropriation meetings later that week. The board adjourned at 9:47 p.m.; Stevens said the administration will adjust the district’s materials if the finalized insurance bid reduces the projected increase.