Schools
Avon Superintendent's Requested Budget Includes Chinese Language Program
Avon Superintendent Gary Mala pitched a $51.9 million budget proposal to the Avon Board of Education on Tuesday.
Avon Superintendent Gary Mala requested a $51.9 million gross budget for 2014-15 at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting.
The proposal would allow Avon to launch Chinese at the elementary schools for kindergarten to second grade, Avon High School and after school at Avon Middle School in collaboration with Central Connecticut State University's Confucious Institute, according to Mala's presentation to the school board. It would cost about $60,000.
Mala's request incorporates $37,871 to help pay for a school resource police officer.
The proposal also includes theater and sign language teachers for the high school, professional development for full staff at the high school, new math and language arts supplies in the district, "co-curriculum programming" for robotics at the high school, "curriculum management software" for the district, an "alternative learning program tutor" at the high school, an internship student seminar at the high school, and a math coach for the elementary schools.
Mala's budget request predicts there will be $2,708,649 in non-tax revenue available and marks a 2.77 percent spending increase, or $1.32 million, over the current budget, according to Mala's presentation. The 2013-14 adopted budget is $50.37 million in gross, which include estimated non-tax revenue dollars.
Ninety-five percent of the proposed budget, or $49,349,281, covers "non-discretionary expenses" like "salaries," "benefits," "transportation," "tuitions," "utilities" and "contracted services," according to the superintendent's presentation. Nearly 81 percent, or $41,859,753, is needed to meet "salary and benefit obligations to staff," the presentation shows.
According to Connecticut State Department of Education data from 2012-13 in Mala's presentation, the average amount that Avon spent that school year per student is $13,545 in comparison to $12,899 in Granby, $13,674 in Canton, $13,719 in West Hartford, $14,082 in Simsbury, $14,408 in Farmington and $16,300 in East Granby. The data excludes transportation costs and debt service.
You can view the full budget presentation and more information on the budget request online. If you have questions about next year's budget, you can email 20142015budget@avon.k12.ct.us. Answers to questions will be posted under "Frequently Asked Questions" on the school's budget page.
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