After hunkering down all day Friday to review School Superintendent Elliott Landon’s proposed $105 million budget for next year, Westport’s Board of Education tonight examined line items from textbooks to non-instructional supplies from copy paper to furniture.
Nancy Harris, business manger, makes a point tonight while Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon listens. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The board also looked at projected revenues from adult and continuing education and pre-school tuitions to offset the budget.
According to Landon, the proposed 2013-14 budget represents a 4.94 percent increase over the current year, an increase he said is unavoidable due to mandates and contractual agreements for a budget, 82 percent of which is salaries.
Landon said he expects the school board, after after a couple of more meetings, to finalize the budget before February.
“On (Jan. 22) we will be discussing technology in depth,” Landon said.
Regarding textbooks, Landon noted that costs for hard copy versus digital texts are about the same, though digital texts have the advantage of being easily updated.
“We’re trying to be fiscally responsible, but not at the expense of what’s best for the kids,” said Landon.
