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The operating budget was proposed by Superintendent Manuel Rivera and is a 2.74 percent increase over the 2014-15 school year budget. The Board of Education also approved of a $4.42 million capital budget.
The main drivers behind the increase in the operating budget are salaries and benefits, which make up 85 percent of the operating budget. The approved budget also includes increased funding for high school athletics, special education, English language learners, diversity recruitment and bilingual receptionists at Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon High School, as well as other ongoing initiatives such as literacy and Common Core implementation.
“This is not what I would describe as the superintendent’s budget or the superintendent’s initiatives,” said Rivera. “These are initiatives that, over the last year and a half, people in this organization have contributed to. Not only at the board level as we discussed our strategic plan, but as I came about and met with folks throughout this community and with our school staff, recognizing what our strengths are, recognizing where we had needs, we essentially created a series of initiatives that we believe are central and have to continue.”
The capital budget includes $556,988 for Phase 2 of the construction of the Norwalk Early Childhood Center. This project, which is already underway, would bring all special education prekindergarten students into one facility on Allen Road. The capital budget also has funding for the district’s building management system and improved technology such as elementary teacher laptops, middle school and high school computer labs and 3D printers. The district will also conduct paving at all schools and replace fire alarm systems districtwide.
Rivera credited the fact that the increase is below 3 percent to the hard work of district staff, and believes the community will embrace the spending plan.
“I’m very proud of this budget in that sense and I think what it represents is moving forward on key initiatives,” he said.
Rivera will not be around to see the initiatives implemented, as he is leaving his position at the end of the month. The Board of Education approved the appointment of James Connelly as interim superintendent.
Connelly will join the district on Jan. 19 to begin the transition of taking over as school chief on Feb. 1. Rivera said he has met with Connelly and they have begun working on a plan to ensure that the transition goes smoothly.
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