Trumbull Schools Consider Drastic Budget Cuts

TRUMBULL, CT — The Trumbull Public School system could look very different next year as administrators and the Board of Education work to reduce the total school budget by about $2.3 million.

Acting Superintendent Ralph Iassogna released a list of 28 Trumbull Public Schools personnel who won’t have their contracts renewed for next school year. The eliminations constitute 25.4 full time positions. Notices for non-renewals had to go out by May 1 due to state regulations, Iassogna said.

The non-renewals weren’t due to any performance issues and all of the employees would have been retained if it weren’t due to the large budget issue, Iassogna said.

“There’s no question these… reductions are deep and they are significant,” Iassogna said at the Board of Education April 28 virtual meeting.

One effect of the non-renewals is that some positions would be eliminated as teachers are internally transferred to other roles. The list includes a grade 5 Spanish teacher, literacy consultants and math interventionists among other positions.

The Board of Finance voted to cut the Board of Education budget ask by $500,000, which puts the total amount of needed cuts at $2.3 million. The BOF decision was unanimous and represents a 2.53 percent budget increase to the BOE, according to meeting minutes. The BOF also voted to reduce the budgets of several town departments.

The Board of Finance sought to have a zero percent increase in Trumbull taxes, which creates a $4 million budget gap that needs to be filled, according to minutes.

Several other nearby towns including Monroe are considering zero percent tax increases as well as the new coronavirus ravages the economy and unemployment rate.

There were several other proposed drastic school cuts, including the elimination of freshmen sports. The proposal also calls for eliminating four custodian positions, one maintenance position and three secretarial positions.

Iassogna encouraged the Board of Education not to adopt all the budget cuts until the Town Council makes its final budget decision.

The Town Council can further reduce the budget, keep it as-is or add back up to the amount proposed by First Selectman Vicki Tesoro. Tesoro proposed a three percent increase for the Board of Education; The Board of Education originally requested a 4.56 percent increase.

Elementary schools would also be closed after 4 p.m. to save money. Some low-enrolled middle and high school clubs and activities would be eliminated under the proposed cuts.

Other reductions include eliminating 26 kindergarten paraprofessional and six reading paraprofessional positions.

One possible way to save money would be if the Trumbull Education Association and Trumbull Administrators Association agreed to an unpaid furlough day, which would save about $326,000, Iassogna said.

Another hope is that the federal government disburses money to states who could then filter it down to local governments to bolster their budgets, but that isn’t guaranteed, Iassogna said.