Ledyard — The Board of Education has unanimously approved a proposed $30.8 million budget for the coming fiscal year, an increase of 1.99 percent.

The spending plan — $601,436 more than the current year — includes funding to upgrade technology, restore a library media position at Ledyard Middle School and support teachers updating the curriculum.

The board’s request is less than the $31.3 million Superintendent Cathy Patterson initially sought, which was a 3.47 percent increase more than current spending.

Board member Michael Brawner said he hopes the public will support the budget.

“It allows us to keep all the existing programs in place with no cuts to student activities or changes in transportation,” he said. “To me, that was important, not to be making cuts to the programs.”

Ledyard schools suffered a 0.21 percent cut during the 2012-13 fiscal year, then saw increases of 0.5 percent and 1.8 percent in the following two years.

Brawner said the new spending plan “provides valuable things that were needed as well as retaining all of the basic programs.”

The Town Council is expected to receive an update regarding the proposed education budget during its meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Annex Building.

Salaries comprise the bulk of the education budget, or about $22.31 million. The budget assumes four retirements and would reduce staffing at Gales Ferry School by two grade-level teachers. Ledyard Middle School would add a technology teacher, and an additional part-time speech and language pathologist hired this year would remain on staff.

The budget would cut supplies by $254,446 or 11.72 percent, spending less on textbooks and testing materials and investing more in professional development. The district also is budgeting to save money on electricity, fuel oil and gas.

Investment in professional and technical services would rise $102,676, or 15.8 percent, to support curriculum changes and teachers working with the state’s new “Common Core” academic standards.

The budget would also spend $128,827 more, or 25.97 percent more, on “purchased property services,” like repair and maintenance of buildings and the first year of a five-year plan to replace technology equipment.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim