Killingly Board confronts $1.8M town cut, outlines staffing-reduction scenarios and warns of possible loss of Alliance funds

Superintendent Susan Nash told the Killingly Board of Education on April 23 that the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget will be trimmed after a $1.8 million reduction by the Town Council and that administrators are planning cuts aimed at minimizing student impact.

Nash presented a revised Board of Education proposal of $47,938,817 and described revenue steps the district is pursuing, including opening enrollment to neighboring towns and expanding adult education to generate approximately $98,000 in additional revenue that would offset operating costs.

She outlined staffing and nonpersonnel options that could be used to meet the reduction target. The scenarios presented included roughly 24 total position reductions: about 10 certified positions (teachers and administrators) and about 14 non‑certified roles (secretaries, custodians, paraeducators and nurses), plus reductions to supplies, equipment and programs. Nash said reduction decisions would consider current vacancies, vacancy duration, class sizes and efforts to choose cuts that have the lowest student impact.

Nash also described projected savings and shortfalls from current accounts. The March financial report showed an expected deficit of about $696,000 that district officials believe may be covered by savings elsewhere; overall salary savings were estimated at about $442,000 (including benefits) and some scenarios showed an anticipated $640,000 surplus. Unpaid student meal charges were reported at about $49,000 and the total cost for school resource officers and athletic safety officers was reported at about $392,000 with about $96,000 anticipated to remain as balance. Nash cautioned that Excess Cost Reimbursement (ECR) for certain outplacements might be as high as 78.8% in some calculations but said that figure was not yet confirmed.

Board members did not offer alternate reduction suggestions during the presentation.

Nash also said that, late the previous evening, she and other superintendents received notice that a pending state bill could change which districts qualify as Alliance Districts; Killingly could lose its Alliance designation and the $328,000 grant that currently supports interventionists, tutors, after‑school clubs and the district’s standardized testing platform would be shifted into the town’s ECS grant instead of remaining as a separate Alliance allocation. Nash presented that figure as the likely impact to local programming if the bill becomes law but noted the outcome is contingent on the pending legislation.

The board was reminded that the Town Council had scheduled a public hearing on the budget for May 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Killingly High School. Nash said the district will continue to refine reductions and revenue options before finalizing recommendations.

Next steps: the board will take public comment at the May 5 hearing and continue budget deliberations in future meetings.