Norwich – The Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees approved a $29 million 2010-11 budget this evening that cuts 10.5 staff positions and shows a decrease of 0.31 percent from this year’s budget, but Norwich and some sending towns still may see an increase in their tuition bills for next year, NFA officials said.

The budget calls for only one new class offering, cuts in the physical education requirement and includes emergency-only spending on campus and equipment purchases.

Head of School Mark Cohan told the Board of Trustees that this was the most frustrating and exhausting budget deliberation process of his 37-year career in education. He said the staffing cuts were in part the result of declining enrollment trends in recent years that are expected to continue.

Although the overall budget is down by $91,230 from last year, tuition rates would increase by 1 percent across the board, with Norwich paying $10,600 and other sending towns $10,700 in the coming year for regular education. Norwich receives a $100 per student discount for hosting the school and providing police and fire protection and city services.

The total tuition bill for Norwich would increase by $387,000 in the coming year.