Kisiel Proposes Drastic Cuts to Education Budget

Interim Superintendent Richard Kisiel unveiled a series of proposed budge cuts to the Board of Education Monday, March 11 2013 designed to plug a nearly $2.5 million hole in the budget for the 2013-14 school year between what the school board requested and what the town's General Manager has recommended. 

The cuts would impact school repairs, new programing, elimination sports teams and coaches, bands and orchestras, eliminate the district's "gifted and talented program" and slash the equivalent of nine full-time teaching positions. 

"We have reached a tipping point in terms of the budget," Kisiel said, explaining the school board's request for a 5.5 percent increase in its school budget for the 2013-14 school year, for a total budget of $106,232,293. Kisiel noted that the school board has only had increases of less than two percent for the last several years. 

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"We will not reduce the achievement gap with those kinds of budget increases," Kisiel said. "It is impossible." 

General Manager Scott Shanley's proposed budget only reflects a 3.1 percent increase in the school budget, a difference of approximately $2.465 million. 

Monday, Kisiel spent the better part of an hour detailing everything he believed should be cut from the school board's budget in order to make up the difference. And he was far from shy in voicing his displeasure over some of the proposed cuts. 

"This has impact across many, many programs," Kisiel said. "It affects many children in many different ways."

Kisiel proposed the following budget reductions in order to close the $2.465 million gap: 

$910,842 in new programs would be eliminated, which would break down to: 

• $50,000 in textbools 
• $82,421 for a technician/webmaster 
• $75,000 for an elementary school teacher-
• $133,421 for the position of director of teaching/learning 
• $170,000 in building repairs-
• $400,000 in safety and security upgrades 

In addition, another $626,979 would be eliminated in: 

• $144,000 for replacement of vehicles
• $137,478 for a reduction in technology  -
• $102,764 in Transition Learning Center and Lutz Children's Museum funding  
• $200,000 reduction in out of district tuition  
• $8,137 to reduce repairs
• $35,000 for a contract for an athletic trainer

Another $927,586 would then be saved through the following reductions: 

• $25,000 to eliminate Manchester High School's contribution to a regional ice hockey team
• $28,000 in coaching positions/transportation 
• $40,000 in Manchester High School club stipends 
• $52,769 to cut the French program at Illing Middle School 
• $52,769 to eliminate the french teacher at Manchester High School
• $52,769 to eliminate a physical education teacher -
• $52,769 to eliminate a Manchester High School teacher 
• $159,162 to cut the grades 4 and 5 bands
• $159,739 to cut the grades 4 and 5 orchestras 
• $303,941 to eliminate the school district's gifted and talented program 

In total, Kisiel's proposed cuts would eliminate nine full-time teaching positions. 

Kisiel said that if the school board did not like those proposed cuts, other cuts that were under consideration included the elimination of middle school sports, freshmen teams at the high school level, the closing of the Manchester High School pool and the elimination of the swim team and the elimination of an additional 10 paraprofessional positions (on top of the 10 already called for in the budget). 

Members of the Board of Education expressed displeasure and downright shock at some of Kisiel's proposed cuts, and urged parents and residents who would also be troubled by the cuts to come and make their opinions heard during a public hearing on Shanley's proposed budget scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14 2013 in the auditorium of Waddell Elementary School at 163 Broad St. 

"We're not closing the achievement gap in any way, shape or form by cutting any of this," said Neal Leon, a Democratic member of the school board. "It may be difficult to raise taxes and get the additional funds, but where are we going to be left if we don't do something? Why would young families want to move to Manchester?" 

Correction: An earlier version of this story listed the budget public hearing as taking place in the Lincoln Center Hearing Room, but that location has since been changed to the auditorium of Waddell Elementary School.