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Avon schools cite special‑education mandates and rising substitute costs in proposed budget
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Bridget Heston Carnemolla presented the Board of Education’s FY2025/2026 proposal, noting a reduction in Pre-K funding that still must meet required special‑education placements and an increase in substitute costs tied to contract and sick‑leave law changes.
At the Avon Annual Budget Meeting, Board of Education leaders described district budget drivers and constraints. Superintendent Dr. Bridget Heston Carnemolla walked through highlights of the Board of Education’s proposed FY2025/2026 budget and explained why some line items look larger despite reductions.
Dr. Heston Carnemolla said the budget shows a reduction in Pre‑K spending but emphasized the district must provide Pre‑K services for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds with disabilities; by the town’s described practice, for every five disabled students enrolled the district also admits five non‑disabled students whose parents pay tuition. "This isn't about whether or not you want your employees to have sick time... it's more about the fact that we already have contracts that have sick time in them," she said, describing how mid‑cycle statutory changes affected costs.
The superintendent said the district’s substitute-teacher pool is largely supplied by Kelly Services and that changes in Connecticut’s sick‑leave law have increased substitute costs; she cited an increase to the district’s contract costs from Kelly Services of about $225,312.80. She clarified that items mentioned were general‑fund items (not grant‑funded), and she said about 31.5 positions are paid from grants or funds outside the general fund.
Heston Carnemolla noted Avon’s reported expenditure per pupil is $20,452, compared with the state average of $22,837 and a peer (Derg B) average of $21,511, and said the district has taken steps to reduce salary drivers where possible.
Susan Russo, Avon Public Schools business manager, told residents the district’s IDEA (special‑education) grant funding request is roughly $716,000 and provided approximate Title allocations (Title I ~ $99,000; Title II ~ $45,000; Title III ~ $13–14,000), adding there had been no definitive federal direction about cuts to those programs at the time of the meeting.
The Board of Education presentation concluded with an invitation for questions and a reminder that decisions about staffing and programs would follow the results of the town referendum and any further Board action.
