East Lyme - The superintendent of schools presented a proposed budget of $44,802,787 for the 2015-16 year to the Board of Education Monday.

The budget reflects a 4.7 percent increase over the current school budget.

The major areas of increase include benefits and insurance, natural gas, heating oil, transportation, non-instructional equipment and the district's technology lease. Salaries will also increase about 3 percent for administrators, 3 percent for teachers and an estimated 3 percent for other staff.

The budget also adds a new assistant principal at the elementary level, a dean of students at the middle school, and a data manager to assist the district as it implements the state-mandated evaluations for teachers and administrators, said Superintendent of Schools James Lombardo. He also proposes two new reading teacher positions to increase reading support at the elementary and high school levels and a drug and alcohol counselor at the high school.

Lombardo recommended that the board reinstate an elementary world language program for 2015-16. He said funds from the schools' relationship with a high school in China, in which students from the Chinese high school would attend East Lyme High School, will offset the costs of two language teachers.

Lombardo said the budget maintains instructional spending, as materials have become more expensive, but the district is expecting 88 fewer students next year. Most of the decrease in student enrollment is at the elementary-school level.

The school board is scheduled to discuss the budget at meetings on Jan. 20, Jan. 26, and Feb. 2 and hold a public hearing on Feb. 9. The board is expected to adopt the 2015-16 budget on Feb. 9 or Feb. 23 and send it to the Board of Selectmen.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich