$12 Million Budget Increase Proposed For Fairfield Schools

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield school officials have proposed a nearly $12 million budget increase for the 2022-23 school year.

The 6.22 percent year-over-year spending hike was outlined Tuesday when Superintendent Mike Cummings presented his recommended budget to the Board of Education, which is set to consider the plan and vote on it in the coming weeks, before the proposal goes to town hall.

The roughly $204 million budget is a transitional one, according to Cummings, who noted the coronavirus pandemic has interfered with the district’s ability to address long-term issues such as the need for structural change and a multi-year plan.

“The budget is really a statement of your values,” he said. “You really are putting your money where your mouth is.”

The budget spike was due to many factors, including increased demand for special education and related services, higher heating and maintenance costs related to supply chain issues, contract raises and cybersecurity investments, according to Cummings.

Among the costlier expenses is $1.64 million for servers, faculty computers and student Chromebooks.

“We are behind on our replacement schedule,” Cummings said. “We feel we have to invest in our technology replacement schedule and begin to get it back.”

More than $600,000 would pay for maintenance improvements and a full-time staffer who would work on heat, ventilation and air conditioning.

Just under $500,000 would go toward staff needed for the new middle school block schedule, including two math teachers, two language arts specialists and part-time world language, physical education and music instruction. Another roughly $650,000 would cover middle school and high school math textbooks and software.

The budget includes a total of 10.5 additional positions, 7.3 of which have already been added as a result of enrollment changes at the elementary level in the 2021-22 school year, according to Cummings.

Of the 6.22 percent budget increase, 2.51 percent is related to the need to keep pace with special education costs.

To learn more about the budget, visit bit.ly/33paTG1.