Branford Approves School Board's 2015-16 Operating Budget of $53.2M

The Branford Board of Education’s $53.2 million 2015-16 fiscal year operating budget was approved at the Representative Town Meeting on Tuesday, according to the New Haven Register.

This approved budget comes at a 1.91 percent increase, or $1 million increase, over last year’s budget, the article reported. This percentage is lower than last year’s increase of 2.73 percent.

This is the lowest budget proposal submitted to the Branford Board of Education in five years, because it mostly addresses contractual obligations of the school district, according to the article. It also addresses surfacing issues such as enrollment declining and the need for free and reduced lunches for children in the district increasing. 

Cuts to the originally proposed $53.4 million budget from February include eliminating four full-time equivalency instructors to save the district $281,000, the article reported. Seven retirements are also expected in the district, and those positions will be filled at a reduced salary.

Read the full New Haven Register story here.