East Lyme — Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Newton is proposing a $46.79 million budget for the 2017-18 school year, a 2.88 percent increase over the current year's spending plan.

Contractual salaries and benefit increases are the main factor driving up the school district's budget, according to Newton's presentation to the Board of Education on Monday.

In formulating the budget proposal, school officials were mindful that a $35 million elementary school project, which potentially could go to referendum in March, is in the works, he said.

School principals, staff and district administrators engaged in "zero-based budgeting" and built the budget from the "ground-level up," he said.

School officials implemented measures to avoid $489,673 in costs for next year's budget, according to the presentation. Those include the "zero-based budgeting" strategy; insurance savings from a high-deductible health care plan; staffing adjustments; the consolidation and renegotiation of contracts for curriculum programs, such as Reading Plus and Lexia, on a multiyear basis; and savings within the district's special education program.

Administrators also locked in good rates for utilities and gas and diesel, Newton said.

The proposed spending plan reduces one middle school Kiva teacher due to fewer incoming fifth-graders expected next year. 

The district's kindergarten through 12th-grade enrollment ticked up to 2,746 students this year, from 2,727 students last year, Newton said. But a slight decrease of about 51 fewer students is expected next year, with about 40 of those students at the middle school level.

One secretarial position at the elementary level, which was not filled this year, will not be funded in next year's budget, according to Newton.

One fewer nurse for special education services was determined to be required next year, according to Kim Davis, director of special education. 

A goal for the special education program is to maintain the current levels of staffing, as the district is experiencing an increase in special education students, Davis said.

In 2015-16, there were 385 special education students, representing 14 percent of the district's 2,727 students, according to the presentation. For the 2016-17 school year, 425 special education students are enrolled in the district, or 15 percent of the district's 2,746 students.

Proposed savings for the special education program include the elimination of the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) for students in third, fifth and eighth grades.

The budget calls for $68,600 to cover the new staffing needs of an Applied Behavioral Analysis teacher at the high school and the redesigning of "greeter" positions at schools into campus safety positions, similar to what is in place at the high school. Newton said the greeters already focus on safety, but the new positions will bring a more focused approach to school security.

The board will reconvene on Jan. 17 to begin budget deliberations. 

k.drelich@theday.com