Norwich ― School officials presented a proposed $93.3 million school budget for 2023-24 that calls for a $6.5 million or 7.5% increase to the Board of Education budget committee Wednesday.

The proposed budget includes an 11.7% increase in salaries, including raises and adding the equivalent of 31.5 full-time positions. Employee benefits are up by 6.8%.

The budget reflects significant increases in key areas. During a previous budget committee meeting, School Business Administrator Robert Sirpenski said high school and special education tuition would cost $36.4 million, a $3.2 million increase. The costs for tuition and transportation combined are up 4.2%.

On Wednesday, Sirpenski said projected higher state special education reimbursements and lower diesel fuel costs should reduce the combined tuition and transportation costs by $1.1 million. Those reductions, however, already are figured into the $93.3 million budget.

Norwich Free Academy announced a 7.25% tuition increase in January, costing Norwich $17.4 million in next year’s budget.

For the first time, high school and special education tuition is the largest portion of the overall budget at 37.5%, Sirpenski said, surpassing salaries, which comprise 34.6% of the total budget.

The increased staffing includes 11 new positions at the Teachers’ Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School. An alarming rise in student behavioral problems and disciplinary action last school year prompted Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow and Assistant Superintendent Tamara Gloster to move into the school in February 2022 to oversee a “school reset,” clamping down on discipline and school rules and rewarding positive behavior.

Stringfellow told the budget committee Wednesday that Global has made a dramatic turnaround this year. She proposed creating a second teaching team to reduce class sizes, a system already in place at the Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School.

“It’s like a different school there this year,” Stringfellow said of Teachers’ Memorial. “… The climate and culture impact is completely different. We’re pleased with the outcome of that choice, but it was an expensive choice.”

Much of Wednesday’s discussion centered on an anomaly in the Norwich school district. Norwich is one of just 10 districts statewide to run full-day, full-year preschool/childcare program, which runs 10 hours per day, 48 weeks per year.

Norwich signed onto the program in partnership with other local private and nonprofit preschool and childcare programs 20 to 25 years ago. The district receives a $2 million state grant per year, to run the program. The school district program has three classes with a total of 48 students.

Sirpenski said the state grant and sliding-scale fees paid by parents do not cover the entire cost. He said full costs are mixed into various budget line items, such as salaries and custodian costs.

Stringfellow said the most difficult aspect is staffing and supervision for the hours when school is not in session. The budget includes six new early learning facilitators to improve staffing for the program.

School officials called the program a great service to the Norwich community, but with no anticipation of an increase in the state grant to pay for it.

The Board of Education is scheduled to adopt its proposed budget to send to the city manager at its 5:30 p.m. meeting March 14 at Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School.

c.bessette@theday.com