Old Lyme — The Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education unanimously voted Wednesday to adopt a $33,470,376 budget for 2016-17 that represents a 2.84 percent increase over the current spending plan.  

School officials will next present the school board's budget to the finance boards in Old Lyme and Lyme. A referendum on the budget will be held in both towns this spring. 

The largest increases in the budget are certified teacher salaries and special-education costs.

The budget supports the school district's goals to offer high educational standards while being fiscally responsible, according to a presentation prepared for a budget forum Wednesday.

It also aims to continue to renew curriculum, instruction, assessment and staff development activities in response to the Common Core State Standards, as well as to provide high standards for infrastructure and facilities, among other objectives. 

The spending proposal includes program initiatives, such as a learning management system for grades 6 through 12. The district is also aiming to move to a one-to-one computer model for students in grades 6 through 12.

Proposed upgrades for the district's facilities include the completion of HVAC control upgrades at Lyme Consolidated School, Mile Creek School and Center School; the installation of additional security cameras for Lyme-Old Lyme High School and LED lighting at Lyme Consolidated, Mile Creek, Center School and Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School; and the replacement of the main campus fuel oil tank, according to the presentation.

Special education costs are expected to increase by about $336,000 from $1,177,805 in the current spending plan.

The increase is primarily related to tuition and transportation costs, as a larger number of students will receive out-of-district placements, said Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser.

Certified salaries are up by about $500,000 in total from the $13,098,944 budgeted for in 2015-16 as a result of contractual obligations. 

Some staff positions will be reduced due to the district's declining enrollment, according to the presentation. Overall, budget documents show a net reduction of 0.6 certified staff and a net reduction of 1.4 noncertified staff for 2016-17.

The next steps will be the presentation of the budget to the finance boards in Lyme and Old Lyme, as well as community groups, and the preparation of budget books and a community newsletter on the budget, Neviaser said.

A district budget hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 4 at Lyme-Old Lyme High School.

May 3 is the anticipated date for the budget referendum in both towns, according to the latest schedule.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich