Tough Norwich choice

It appears Norwich may face no other choice but to close one of its nine elementary schools. Despite adopting a budget that includes staffing and program cuts, the Board of Education's budget proposal would boost spending by $3.67 million, a 5.8 percent increase.

The city administration and Mayor Peter Nystrom say that is too much. They're right.

The frustrations of school officials and the school board are understandable. As an urban school system, Norwich faces multiple challenges. For nearly one in four students, English is not their dominant language. Almost 70 percent qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches because their families meet low-income guidelines. As of March 1, 110 students came from homeless families.

Fixed costs - salaries, benefits and tuition to Norwich Free Academy, which serves as the city's designated high school - account for nearly 97 percent of spending.

In a perfect world, Norwich schools would have all the resources necessary to build upon past successes and provide the quality education necessary to lift kids out of poverty. But this post-Great Recession world is far from perfect. Government institutions must figure out how to make due with less.

If Norwich were facing an unusually tough year, with a bounce-back looming, perhaps the school system could muddle through. But the coming years promise to be as difficult and likely worse as federal stimulus dollars directed to education expire and the state faces hard choices to balance its own budget.

In such a situation, maintaining nine elementary and two middle schools to serve 3,800 students becomes an unaffordable luxury. One elementary school will almost certainly have to close by next school year and perhaps as many as two in the long run. This can produce savings in reduced administration, support staff, utilities, upkeep and likely teaching positions.

Interim Superintendent Abby I. Doliver said her staff is assessing the pros and cons of various school closing scenarios.

It will be controversial and unpleasant, but it seems inescapable.