superintendent's Message:
Dr. Steven Adamowski

Dear Norwalk Families and Community Members,

I am pleased to submit our recommended budget for the 2019-20 school year for Norwalk Public Schools. The FY 2019-20-budget request is comprised of two distinct components:

• A current services budget increase of $9.5 million or 5.0% to cover the cost of labor contract settlements, health insurance increase, transportation, staffing and other contractual increases, and the sunset of the SPED Development Fund; and
• A program improvement appropriation of $3.3 million or 1.74% necessary to implement high-priority educational initiatives outlined in the Strategic Operating Plan.

The recommended budget is designed to fund the priority implementation steps for FY 2019-20 that the Board laid out in the Strategic Operating Plan.  The Strategic Operating Plan is an ambitious plan designed to raise the bar and close the gaps. The budget goals laid out for the 2019-20 school year include the following eight priorities:

1. Add a fourth “Specials” teacher at six elementary schools, which will allow the District to complete the phase-in implementation of the contractual agreement regarding a normal elementary school day;
2. Implement 4^th and 5^th grade band instrument instruction at the remaining six elementary schools which did not participate in this initiative during the 2018-19 school year;
3. Increase the high school per pupil expenditure and add five new high school teachers in order to complete implementation of the State-required 26-credit graduation requirement at our high schools.
4. Expand the District’s Summer School Program to the 6^th grade and expand the entrance criteria to reduce summer learning loss for at risk students;
5. Expand the District’s Choice Programs by allocating funds for the development of a Montessori Primary Years classroom at Brookside School;
6. Provide program support for the additional students who have elected to enroll in the District’s Choice (magnet) Programs;
7. Implement a healthier high school start time, in accordance with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
8. Sunset the successful Three-Year Special Education Development Fund.

Click here for more of Dr. Adamowski's budget message.