Darien Schools Superintendent Presents 'Very Challenging' Budget

DARIEN, CT — Superintendent of Darien Public Schools Dr. Alan Addley presented his fiscal year 2025 budget on Thursday to the Board of Education.

Calling it a "very challenging" budget, Addley walked the board through a high-level presentation of the spending plan, which weighs in at $121.5 million and represents a 6.19 percent increase over the current year's budget.

Board of Education Chair D. Jill McCammon urged patience throughout the budget process.

"A few requests to all of us. No. 1, to give the board time to do its work. No. 2, for us all to listen to one another, to understand, not necessarily to agree, but to understand, to ask questions, to speak, to remember that underneath it all we're talking about people," McCammon said. "We're talking about students, staff, teachers, parents, BOE members, fellow government officials, neighbors and friends."

On Friday, Addley summarized the budget in his weekly correspondence to district families.

"The FY25 Budget primarily addresses a secondary administrative restructure, strategic scheduling, teacher coverage, special education and pre-school programming," Addley said in his letter.

"The District is facing higher than normal expenditures as a result of collective bargaining agreements that support the retention and recruitment of staff, escalating health insurance, increased transportation, and special education costs."

The budget reduces the overall Full Time Employee (FTE) count by -2.17 FTEs, Addley said.

"This was realized through scheduling efficiencies at the elementary schools and middle school, re-allocating existing funds on new priorities such as building substitutes and implementing a new secondary administrative structure," Addley said.

A recommended administrative restructre includes an additional assistant principal at Darien High School and Middlesex Middle School; a reduction of a world language department chair; extending the work year for the MMS and DHS Special Education and Student Services (SESS)department chairs from two 10-month positions to two 12-month SESS program director positions.

The restructure also recommends the elimination of an elementary SESS program director, and the redeployment of a secondary SESS program director to a K-12 SESS program director.

As a result, the changes result in a net zero FTE change in administrators, Addley said.

As was the case last year, there is a local and national shortage of teachers and substitutes. To meet these needs, Addley said the proposed budget includes the reduction of 10 elementary instructional aides, the addition of two permanent building substitutes for each elementary school, and increasing the daily rate of pay for substitutes to $175.

The budget also includes an increase of special edcation and ELP paraprofessional and addresses the new kindergarten legislation.

"The FY25 Budget addresses the needs of our students, staff and families, and delivers the highest quality education possible to all Darien students at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer," Addley said in his letter to families.

The Board of Education is scheduled to examine the proposed budget in full during an all-day meeting on Saturday at the district's administrative offices.

A public hearing on Addley's budget will take place on Jan. 30, with approval slated for Feb. 13.