Avon School Officials Finalize $66.74M Budget Plan

AVON, CT — Local school officials have approved a budget document and sent it to the town for further review, one that calls for a $2.39 million increase in spending.

At its last meeting, the Avon Board of Education unanimously approved, 7-0, Avon Superintendent of Schools Bridget Heston Carnemolla's proposed spending plan for 2023-24.

That budget, according to the latest figures, totals $66.74 million, which is $2.39 million larger — or 3.71 percent — than current school spending.

"This is the soup to nuts, overview presentation," Carnemolla said, also alluding to the multiple budget workshops prior to the vote.

"It is the document that could stand alone, so to speak, with more detailed line-by-lines. This will become a part of the public document once its submitted to the town."

School board members were more than pleased to approve the budget and send it for further town review.

School board member Jacqueline Blea said this spending plan addresses pupil needs in the classroom, as well as various emotional needs on the heals of a difficult couple of years.

"I guess what I would want to say ... is that I've been really truly moved and felt so grateful the last couple of years to see these budgets that are really meeting our students' needs in the most impactful way," she said.

"I think we're really talking about emotional connections for students for opporutnities for learning and support outside of academics and I think every building now has a really robust team, like a safety net for our students."

School spending is now in the hands of Avon Town Council members, who will make a recommendation to the Avon Board of Finance next month.

After that, the finance board will finalize the school budget's bottom line in April and send it to a town meeting and referendum in May.

Finance officials cannot trim line items in the school budget, only the overall figure.

During the latter stages of the budget process, the tax impact will be better known prior to the budget going to voters.

Some highlights of Avon's 2023-24 school budget proposal include:

• $53.26 million for staff salaries and benefits, nearly 80 percent of the budget.

• $3.9 million for school tuition for pupils requiring out-of-district services, 5.85 percent of school spending.

• $3.4 million for transportation for pupils, 5.16 percent of the budget.

• The rest of the spending plan is in contracted services, supplies and equipment, utilities and miscellaneous expenses.

Among the budget impacts prompting the increase are new teacher and paraprofessonal positions; a full-time safety and security specialist; school counselor; and multiple paraeducator, among other new staffers.

In addition, utilities went up by 8.41 percent; health insurance went up by 12.7 percent; and dental insurance increased by 6 percent.

For the minutes of the Jan. 17 Avon Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For a summary of the Town of Avon's budget process, click on this link.