'Approve this agreement.' City officials offer possible deal to save Norwalk teaching jobs
During a meeting with the superintendent Tuesday, city officials say they proposed a plan that would add roughly $6 million additional dollars to the Board of Education budget.
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One week after hundreds of Norwalk parents protested school budget cuts, a new offer has hit the table.
During a meeting with the superintendent Tuesday, city officials say they proposed a plan that would add roughly $6 million additional dollars to the Board of Education budget.
“The bottom line is, it’s all about the children," Mayor Harry Rilling said. "We want to make sure we give them the best quality education we can give them."
The offer includes $3 million of state funding plus $3 million of additional city funding, which would bring the total budget increase to $15 million.
“Approve this agreement. That’s what we’re asking them to do," Senator Bob Duff says. "There's probably no school district in the state of Connecticut getting a $15 million increase."
Some terms of the offer include keeping arts and music programs as is, and tabling talk of a contract extension for superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella until next year.
Lawmakers are also asking the board of ed not to cut what they call “student-facing programs."
The superintendent questioned the legality of the proposal, saying in part:
“The conditions proposed raise potential concerns regarding their alignment with the statutory framework that governs education funding in Connecticut…”
The Board of Education postponed a special meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday night, saying it needs time to carefully review the proposal before responding.
No agreement has been reached yet.
