Manchester school board sends $232M FY'25 budget proposal to mayor, aldermen

The proposed school budget represents a 5.63% increase over the FY’24 appropriation of $226,982,607, thanks in part to increased property values in Manchester, leading to a pool of approximately $6.7 million in revenue.

In presenting her proposed budget, Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Gillis said she is looking to hold on to 42.3 of the 77.5 full-time equivalent positions funded through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Gillis said these positions work directly with students.

“We understood from the beginning we had competing demands, such as our drive toward continued aligned educational programming, while striving to close the learning gap we saw exacerbated during the pandemic,” Gillis said. “We have worked to bring class sizes to better line up with the reduced class size policy. We are bringing updates to decades-old platforms and systems to enhance efficiencies and reduce redundant outdated practices.”

The tax-cap compliant budget is the only budget proposal school board members are sending to aldermen. In recent years, the board has voted to send a tax-cap version as well as a “needs budget” — a list of items the board would fund if given a budget above the tax-cap figure.

“I just wanted it to be on record that there are a long list of items that are needed throughout this district, and we’re going to be hearing throughout the rest of the year — as we often do — about our inability to do the most basic things because we don’t have it in our budget,” school board vice chair Jim O’Connell said. “I can’t emphasize enough that in only submitting a tax-cap compliant budget, there’s great restraint on behalf of this board in the face of the real needs of our students.

“As this budget leaves here, it gives me a lot of angst that we are constrained in this way.”

In response to a question from former mayor and current Ward 9 school board member Bob Baines, Gillis said for every $1 million that could be cut from the budget proposal, an estimated 18 positions could be lost.

“This is going to be a very tough budget cycle, and we have to do our homework and be very prepared and be advocates for what needs to be done,” said Baines. “I support this budget and I urge each one of us to engage in very effective, articulate and factual comments about why this budget is critical for the future not only of the school district and our children, but for the entire city of Manchester.”

Mayor Jay Ruais said he appreciates the amount of effort that went into crafting the budget.

“I appreciate the multiple meetings we’ve had on this and having the opportunity to have my questions answered,” Ruais said. “On a macro-level we’re heading into a pretty difficult budget season. I have concerns over the number that’s in this budget. It’s difficult for me to support that at this time, but I am looking forward to continued collaboration and communication with the school board and with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to come up with a number that meets both the needs of our students and our school district, and also pushing forward and meeting the needs of our city as well.”