Hartford Courant article :

School Budget Plan Revealed

By FULVIO CATIVO
Courant Staff Writer

March 7 2007

WEST HARTFORD -- School Superintendent David P. Sklarz Tuesday proposed his $122.1 million budget for 2007-08, urging town officials and the board of education to maintain the district's excellence by increasing current funding by 7.6 percent.

Several of the district's principals, administrators and department supervisors were in attendance for the budget announcement. The specifics of the plan had been closely guarded, with school board members getting their first look during a 45-minute presentation.

Sklarz noted the changing landscape of West Hartford over the past 10 years, pointing out the number of minority and special needs students now in the district.

The school system has nearly 10,000 students in kindergarten through Grade 12; enrollment has increased by almost 1,400 since 1996. About 1,800 of the district's students live in homes where English is not the primary language; more than 64 different languages are represented.

Those increases, Sklarz said, contribute to the district's diverse population, but also challenge the system to provide a range of services and programs to students of all types of abilities. The district has 1,247 special-education students.

"We have rapidly become ... a very diverse community," Sklarz said.

Sklarz broke down the cost of operating the district - which he compared to a large corporation - in layers. About 83 percent of the proposed budget would pay for the salaries and benefits of the district's 1,400 employees.

The district would have to spend $5.44 million more next year to continue offering its current services.

A list of proposed items - totaling $1.795 million - would increase substitute teachers' pay, offset declining grant funding, cover excess utility costs and add six full-time teaching positions in 2007-08.

Another list of proposals, including hiring additional elementary reading teachers, expanding the world language program, implementing the high school flexible start time initiative for $240,000, upgrading school security and enhancing Charter Oak Academy and Smith School would add $1.38 million to the budget proposal.

The total bump in spending in the proposed budget would be more than $8.6 million. The budget for the current school year is $113.5 million.

Sklarz defended the budget plan Tuesday night, calling it "fiscally responsible."

"Certainly there will be those who think the budget is too high," he said.

After the meeting, board members began to digest the proposal. Some said it was too soon to discuss specifics, but they were quick to say that the overall figure was too high.

"I would presume that there would be some major cuts," said board Chairman Jack Darcey.

Tuesday's presentation was the first step in the annual budget process. Budget workshops will be held Monday, March 15 and on March 28. The board will vote on the budget on April 4 and would then send it to the town council for review.

Contact Fulvio Cativo at fcativo@courant.com.