Madison Eyes School Staff Reduction as District Expects to Receive Less State Funds: Report

MADISON, CT — The Board of Education's proposed budget for fiscal 2017-18 is $56.9 million, which increases spending by $1.43 million or 2.58 percent, the Madison Source reports.

Some notable items in the budget include:

reduction of 7.5 teaching positions as enrollment continues to decline as it is across the state and country. Another factor for the staff decrease is the anticipation of a cut in state funds for education, the Source reports.

Madison Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice called the state's situation a "very dismal state funding picture," for Madison.

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Madison's ECS grant was cut $650,000 last year and again another $159,124 this year, the Source reports. Madison could be facing the elimination of its ECS grant altogether, but that hasn't been decided yet by the Legislature.

Madison also is facing a reduction in state aid for its special education program and Scarice labeled that proposal as a "shell game," the Madison Source reports.

The final school budget won't be approved until later this year.

Read the full Madison Source story for much more on the budget and upcoming challenges.