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Brooklyn Board of Education opens budget workshops on proposed 6.49% increase for FY2026–27
Summary
At a Jan. 7 workshop the Brooklyn Board of Education reviewed a proposed FY2026–27 budget totaling $25,346,310 (a 6.49% increase). Administrators presented priorities—special education pressures, staffing, technology and facilities—and the board scheduled further workshops before adjourning unanimously.
The Brooklyn Board of Education on Jan. 7 opened its series of budget workshops with administrators presenting priorities behind a proposed FY2026–27 budget that would increase district spending 6.49% to $25,346,310.
Superintendent Michele Raynor framed the meeting as the start of the district’s budget process and outlined budget decision goals and assumptions, saying, “This marks the beginning of the budget process for the 2026-2027 school year.” She told the board that budget documents and answers to public questions would be posted on the Brooklyn Schools website and invited written questions to budgetquestions@brooklynschools.org.
Administrators gave department-level briefings. Meaghan Wakely reviewed Brooklyn Elementary School priorities; Heather Tamsin and Amy Golas presented Brooklyn Middle School needs. Barbara-Jean Toth and Dr. Abigail Cole summarized special education requirements, including increased out-of-district placements, related-service shortages and transportation costs. Craig Barrette discussed facilities work (including roofing and oil-tank replacement) and Gabe Bryant outlined a multi-year technology replacement plan and infrastructure updates.
The presentation highlighted student-performance metrics and program rollouts the district cited as context for budget priorities, including improved Math and Science scores and full implementation of new curricula and SEL programming. The administration listed key drivers of the proposed increase: contractual salary and benefit costs, special-education tuition and outplacements, transportation and health insurance, and technology and building repairs.
Budget details presented showed $25,346,310 proposed for 2026–27 versus a $23,801,845 adopted budget for 2025–26, a $1,544,465 increase. Object-level changes included salaries rising to $10,734,976 (a 4.54% increase) and benefits to $3,177,822 (an 18.31% increase). Department allocations in the presentation showed Central Office at 40.3% of the proposed budget and Special Education at 29.4%.
Raynor and Business Manager Donna DiBenedetto noted assumptions that state grants and mandated reimbursements remain uncertain: the presentation stated the Connecticut State Department of Education Educational Cost Share (ECS) grant is expected to remain flat for fiscal year 2026 and then decline, and that the CSDE Excess Cost Grant was budgeted at 70% in the proposal while the presentation referenced a legislative reimbursement expectation of 91% for Brooklyn.
The board had no follow-up questions during the presentations. District officials reiterated that the board will hold additional workshops through April and will continue meeting until it finalizes a budget to present to the Board of Finance; the town will later hold a budget hearing and a town meeting on the proposal.
A procedural motion to adjourn was made by Vice Chair Melissa Perkins-Banas, seconded by Secretary Justin Phaiah, and the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 5:55 p.m.
