Budget Updates

Jan. 23, 2026

The Budget team continued routine fiscal management and budget alignment work. Updated and distributed 2025–2026 General Ledger summaries for schools and central office departments. Budget requests for FY 2026–2027 were updated to reflect tentatively approved levels and City Chief Financial Officer–recommended levels in both Munis and supporting Excel workbooks. Ongoing responsibilities also included processing special education invoices, districtwide journal entries, and budget transfers to ensure accurate financial reporting.

The CFO presented a FY26-27 Budget Development update to the Elementary and Secondary School SGCs. The FY26 27 budget development updates were also presented to the BOE Finance Committee and subsequently shared with the BOE during their Business Meeting. In addition, a meeting was held with the district demographer to review FY26 27 enrollment projections.

The CFO also participated in a call with the State Comptroller’s Office to hear an update on employee health insurance for municipalities participating in the State Partnership Plan. Preliminary indications suggest that health insurance costs for employees enrolled in the state plan are expected to increase by approximately 15%. 

(From the Board Update: Jan. 23, 2026)

Jan. 20, 2026

On Jan. 20, CFO Lunda Asmani provided an update to the Board of Education during their regular business meeting on the FY 2026-27 Tentative Approved Operating Budget. He also reviewed with the Board the year-to-date financials as of Dec. 31, 2025.

• Board of Education Business Meeting - Jan. 20, 2026 (VIDEO)
• FY26-27 Tentative Approved Operating Budget Update (SLIDES)
• FY25-26 Budget: Year-to-date Financials as of December 31, 2025 (SLIDES)

Jan. 7 & 14, 2026

The NPS Finance Department presented the FY 2026-27 Tentative Approved Operating and Capital budgets to School Governance Councils. The presentation was given to the Elementary School SGCs on Jan. 7 and the SGCs for the middle and high schools on Jan. 14.

• FY26-27 Tentative Approved Operating & Capital Budget (SLIDES)

Jan. 9, 2026

On Dec. 16, 2025, the Board of Education (BOE) approved the Superintendent’s recommended Operating and Capital Budget for the 2026–27 school year. Following this approval, the budget request was formally submitted to the City for review. The BOE’s tentative approved local funding request totals $263.15 million. 

The 2026–27 budget reflects rising costs and continued investments to support students, staff, and school operations.

Key components include: 

• Special Education

  • Increased student identification and higher provider rates are driving greater service needs 

  • Continued expansion of in-house specialized programming to better serve students and manage long-term costs 

• Early Childhood Education

  • Expansion of two full-day Pre-K programs at the Wolfpit School and the South Norwalk School through the SMART START Grant to meet growing enrollment demand 

• Insurance Costs 

  • The district has assumed responsibility for liability, auto, and property insurance, costs previously covered by the City 

• School Meals 

  • Continued funding ensures all students have access to free school meals 

• Staff Pay and Benefits 

  • Budget reflects negotiated salary increases and rising health insurance costs 

• South Norwalk School Staffing 

  • Supports additional staff and resources as the school adds a 4th grade this year 

• Retirement Contributions 

  • Accounts for new employer contribution rates for employee 401(a) retirement plans 

• Service Contracts 

  • Addresses increased costs/ inflation across essential district vendors and contracted services 

 A detailed Budget Book has been issued to support the BOE’s 2026–27 local funding request, including full-time equivalent (FTE) staffing charts prepared using current budget data. 

The BOE will continue to update and maintain the NPS Budget Website to support public tracking, education, and communication throughout the budget process. 

(From the Board Update: Jan. 9, 2026)

Jan. 8, 2026

The Norwalk Board of Education's Finance Committee and the Norwalk City Council's Finance & Claims Committee held a special joint meeting to present the Board's Tentative Approved FY 2026-27 Operating Budget and the city's FY 2026-27 Operating Budget. The public could also participate at the opening of the meeting.

• Special Joint Meeting of the BOE Finance Committee and the Finance and Claims Committee of the City Council (VIDEO)
• FY26-27 BOE Tentative Approved Capital & Operating Budget (SLIDES)

Jan. 7, 2026

The FY 26-27 BOE Tentative Approved Operating & Capital Budget book is published.

• FY 26-27 BOE Tentative Approved Operating & Capital Budget (PDF)

Dec. 16, 2026

The Norwalk Board of Education approved the FY2026-27 Superintendent's Recommended Budget at the Dec. 16 board business meeting. The board approved the budget request of of $263,148,792, an increase of 6.5% from last year’s budget which included the $4.5 million appropriated to the BOE by the city in June 2025.

• Board of Education Business Meeting - Dec. 16, 2025 (VIDEO)
• FY26-27 Superintendent's Recommended Budget - Dec. 16 presentation (SLIDES)
• General Fund Summary - Summary of Expenditures by Object Detail (PDF)

Dec. 9, 2025

The FY 2026-27 Superintendent's Recommended Budget was presented to the Norwalk Board of Education during the board workshop on Dec. 9. Current and incoming board members were invited to ask questions during the presentation along with members of the Norwalk City Council and Board of Estimate and Taxation.

• Board of Education Workshop - Dec. 9, 2025 (VIDEO)
• FY26-27 Superintendent's Recommended Budget (SLIDES)
• General Fund Summary - Summary of Expenditures by Object Detail (PDF)

Dec. 9, 2025

Lunda Asmani, CFO of Norwalk Public Schools, participated in Norwalk ACTS's December Quarterly Convening which focused on demystifying the city and school budget process. The panel also include:

• Jared Schmitt, CFO for the City of Norwalk
• Jim Frayer, Chair of the Norwalk City Council's Finance & Claims Committee
• Sheri McCready-Brown, Chair of the Norwalk Board of Education's Finance Committee
• Ed Abrams, Chair of the Board of Estimate & Taxation
• Jennifer Barahona, Deputy Secretary of the State.

Nov. 19, 2025

The Norwalk Board of Education hosted a Town Hall on Nov. 19 focused on the development of the FY 2026-27 Operating & Capital Budgets. Participants submitted questions during the Q&A section. Questions and answers will be posted on the NPS Budget Website under the FAQ page. The town hall concluded with roundtable discussions followed by each table sharing out the three priorities identified for the budget.

• Town Hall | FY2026-27 Budget - Nov. 19, 2025 (VIDEO)
• Community Town Hall | FY26-27 BOE Budget (SLIDES)
   

Nov. 18, 2025

CFO Lunda Asmani presented the Monthly Financial Report during the Norwalk BOE board business meeting on Nov. 18. This report provides year-to-date financials of the current fiscal year budget (FY 2025-26).

• October 2025 Financial Report (PDF)

Nov. 14, 2025

The Budget team remains focused on supporting both current year operations and next year’s planning. General ledger summaries for the 2025–2026 fiscal year have been updated and are being distributed to both schools and central office departments. Budget team members are meeting with school and department leaders to discuss 25–26 budget performance and 26–27 projections.

The team continues to process special education invoices, districtwide budget transfers, and journal entries, including School-Based Budget (SBB) ESS-related entries. Preparation is also underway for the Excess Cost Submission due December 1, 2025.

In addition, work continues on the 2026–2027 fiscal year budget projection. The team is finalizing key assumptions expected to impact the City funding request, including contractual salary increases, health insurance cost growth, and the addition of fourth grade at the South Norwalk School. Ongoing verification of employee rosters, stipends, and benefits ensures accuracy in budget forecasting.

In collaboration with CLA, the district’s external auditors, the Budget team continues to support the 2024–2025 fiscal year-end financial review. This includes GASB compliance review, deferred revenue reconciliation, and preparation of required state and federal reports, including the State Single Audit and Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).

(From the Board Update: Nov. 14, 2025)

Nov. 12, 2025

CFO Lunda Asmani presented an FY 2026-27 budget development update at the Norwalk BOE board workshop meeting on Nov. 12.

• Board of Education Workshop - Nov. 12, 2025 (VIDEO)
• BOE Workshop - Budget Update (SLIDES)

At the BOE Finance Committee on Nov. 12, committee members reviewed the October 2025 Budget Transfers and the FY26 Year-to-Date Budget Review. They also received an update on the FY2026-27 Budget Development from CFO Lunda Asmani.

• October 2025 Budget Transfers (PDF)
• October 2025 Financial Report (PDF) 

Nov. 5, 2025

Add Your Voice on Nov. 19 at the Norwalk BOE Town Hall -- FY 2026-27 Operating & Capital Budgets

The Norwalk Board of Education invites you to participate in a Town Hall focusing on the FY 2026-27 BOE Operating and Capital Budgets. The Town Hall will be held in person on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at 46 Concord St. (in the gymnasium) in Norwalk.

Learn more about the budget process and add your voice to the development of the FY 2026-27 Operating and Capital Budgets. The Norwalk BOE and Norwalk Public Schools want to hear feedback from our community and what they believe should be the priorities when putting together next year’s budget.

Recently, a budget priorities survey was sent to all NPS families to gather feedback and input. This survey was an important step to ensure that our financial decisions reflect the values and priorities of our families and the Norwalk community. During the Town Hall, we will also review the feedback received through this survey and discuss how it will help inform the development of next year’s budget.

We thank you for participating in this important process to help us develop a budget that will allow us to provide the best education possible to our scholars and give our educators the tools and resources they need to do their job to the best of their ability.

Oct. 31, 2025

The Budget team continues to support district operations and planning for the current and upcoming fiscal years. This week’s focus included preparing the Food Services budget projection and processing salary, transfer, and account adjustments across both the live and operating budgets. Corrections were made to previous payroll account entries, and benefit data has been updated in the operating budget.

Work has also continued on developing the 2026–2027 budget projection. The team is finalizing key assumptions that will impact the upcoming year, including contractual salary increases, rising health insurance costs, and expanding grade levels, such as the addition of 4th grade at the South Norwalk School. Stipends have been increased by 2% in accordance with current contracts. Ongoing collaboration with schools is helping ensure employee rosters are accurate and all funding lines are validated.

In collaboration with CLA, our external auditors, the team is supporting the financial review for the 2024–2025 fiscal year. This includes analysis of GASB compliance, excess cost filings, and preparation of the State Single Audit and ACFR. Planning continues for the December 1 submission of the Excess Cost report.

The team is also advancing work on ClearGov, the district’s upcoming public-facing financial transparency platform. Once launched, this tool will provide accessible, interactive data visualizations for all community stakeholders.

Finally, general ledger summaries for 2025–2026 are being updated and shared with schools and central office teams. Special education invoices, SBB ESS journal entries, budget transfers, and other financial transactions are being processed to ensure operational accuracy and efficiency.

(From the Board Update: Oct 31, 2025)

Oct. 21, 2025

CFO Lunda Asmani presented the Monthly Financial Report during the Norwalk BOE board business meeting on Oct. 21. This report provides year-to-date financials of the current fiscal year budget (FY 2025-26).

FY25-26 Budget: Year-to-Date Financials as of September 30, 2025 (SLIDES)

Oct. 17, 2025

The Budget Team has officially begun developing the 2026–2027 fiscal year budget projection. The current focus is on compiling key assumptions that will drive the budget increase. While there are no new initiatives planned for this cycle, several factors will influence the funding request to the City, including contractual salary increases, health insurance cost increases, other vendor-related contractual obligations (such as transportation), and the addition of 4th grade at the South Norwalk School.

To ensure accurate staffing projections, the team has collaborated with schools to verify employee rosters and confirm that all funded positions and stipends are correctly allocated. Stipends have been increased by 2% per contractual agreements.

In parallel, the Budget team is working with CLA, the district’s external auditors, on the 2024–2025 fiscal year-end financial review. This includes preparation of financial reports such as the State Single Audit and Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), along with analysis of GASB compliance, deferred revenue, and special education excess cost filings.

The Board of Estimate and Taxation has also approved a $126,100 carryover related to accounting adjustments for open purchase orders and deferred retirement payments post-year-end. This carryover is not part of the non-lapsing fund.

Additionally, the team is developing a new public-facing financial transparency platform in partnership with ClearGov. This system will enhance community access to budget information and improve financial reporting across the district.

The team’s operational work continues as well: accounts, salaries, and Position Control Numbers (PCNs) are being updated in both the live and budget versions of Munis. New hires, terminations, transfers, salary changes, and benefits adjustments are also being processed. The team is reviewing all budget changes and recently held a meeting with HR and Benefits to discuss FMLA coordination.

General ledger summaries for 2025–2026 are being updated and distributed to both schools and central office departments. Meetings have been conducted to review these summaries, as well as rosters and preliminary planning for the 2026–2027 budget cycle. Special education invoices and districtwide budget transfers and journal entries, including SBB ESS entries, are in progress.

(From the Board Update: Oct 17, 2025)

Oct. 3, 2025

On Sept. 24, a joint Finance Town Hall was held with representatives from the Norwalk Board of Education and the City of Norwalk. The event provided a valuable opportunity for both entities to engage in transparent dialogue about budget priorities, funding challenges, and long-term financial planning. Community members were invited to participate, ask questions, and learn more about how city and school finances intersect and impact district operations. The Town Hall reinforced a shared commitment to fiscal responsibility, equity, and collaboration as both organizations look ahead to the FY2026–27 budget planning process.

The Budget team is continuing the 2026–2027 budget planning cycle by reviewing and maintaining staffing rosters, processing and updating demographic data in both the live system and salary projections. A 2026–2027 salary projection model is also in development. The team is supporting contract negotiations by assisting attorneys with compensation data and working with Human Resources to implement coding for the new Connecticut Paid Leave program.

Additional responsibilities include reviewing rosters with schools and central office departments, preparing excess cost documentation for auditors, and updating/distributing 2025–2026 general ledger summaries. Staff are continuing to process special education invoices, districtwide budget transfers, and journal entries.

(From the Board Update: Oct 3, 2025)

Sept. 24, 2025

Norwalk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella, CFO Lunda Asmani for Norwalk Public Schools and Norwalk BOE Chair Diana Carpio participated in the public hearing for the City of Norwalk and Norwalk BOE Budgets - FY 2026-27. They joined:

• Mayor Harry Rilling
• Common Council President Barbara Smyth
• Jim Frayer, Chair of the Finance and Claims Committee for the Norwalk Common Council
• Ed Abrams, Chair of the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation,
• Jared Schmitt, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Norwalk

The City of Norwalk and the Norwalk BOE both provided the first update on the development of the FY 2026-27 Operating & Capital Budgets at this hearing before opening up the meeting to questions from the public.

• Special Joint Finance Committee Public Hearing 09-24-2025 (VIDEO)
• Public Hearing - FY 2026-27 Operating & Capital Budgets (SLIDES)

Sept. 19, 2025

Meetings have also begun with schools and departments to verify staffing rosters in preparation for the launch of the 2026–2027 budget development cycle. (From the Board Update: Sept 19, 2025)

Reminder about the Sept. 24 Special Joint Finance Committee Public Hearing included in the NPS Reminders newsletter.

(Update message sent to NPS families and staff via ParentSquare.)

Sept. 18, 2025

Add Your Voice on Sept. 24 at the Public Hearing for the City of Norwalk & Norwalk BOE Budgets - FY 2026-27

The City of Norwalk is hosting a hybrid Budget Public Hearing ahead of the development of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating and Capital Budgets on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Common Council Chambers at Norwalk City Hall and virtually via Zoom and encourage the community to participate.

Representatives from the City and Norwalk Public Schools will be participating on the panel to hear ideas and comments from members of the public about next year’s budget. Hearing the community’s feedback early in the process helps the City and Schools better understand where the community wants to invest and how we can best support those requests.

The panel will include City and Norwalk Public School officials who play a role in the development of the City’s Operating and Capital Budgets including:

• Mayor Harry Rilling
• Barbara Smyth, Common Council President
• Jim Frayer, Chair of the Finance and Claims Committee
• Dr. Alexandra Estrella, Superintendent of Schools
• Lunda Asmani, Chief Financial Officer for Norwalk Public Schools
• Diana Carpio, Chair of the Board of Education
• Ed Abrams, Chair of the Board of Estimate and Taxation
• Jared Schmitt, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Norwalk

Norwalk Public Schools and the City of Norwalk invite the general public to attend the meeting and lend their voices to the budget conversation as we begin the development process. Hearing your feedback early will give us a greater understanding of where our community wants to invest and how we can best support the community. 

We invite the Norwalk Public Schools community to participate in the hearing and share with us what the city and the school district should be addressing in the upcoming budget cycle before preliminary budgets are presented.

Please see below for how to participate in the Sept. 23, 2024 budget public hearing.

Agenda: https://norwalkct.portal.civicclerk.com/event/828/files/agenda/2136

Location: Norwalk Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, 125 East Ave. in Norwalk

How to participate via Zoom: Check the City of Norwalk’s Agenda and Minutes portal.

Watch the livestream (no public participation): N/A

(Message sent to NPS families and staff via ParentSquare.)

Sept. 16, 2025

CFO Lunda Asmani presented the year-end financials for FY 2024-25 and how the district closed out the fiscal year at the Sept. 16 Norwalk Board of Education board business meeting. The presentation also included year-to-date financials for FY 2025-26.

• FY2025-26 Year End Update (SLIDES)
• FY26 Budget Report (PDF)

Sept. 10, 2025

At the BOE Finance Committee on Sept. 10, committee members reviewed the FY24-25 Budget Transfers, the FY25-26 Budget Transfers and the FY24-25 Year End Review.

• FY24-25 Budget Transfers (PDF)
• FY25-26 Budget Transfers (PDF)
• FY24-25 Year End Review (PDF)

Aug. 22, 2025

• Beginning preparations for FY26–27 budget development calendar
• Working with Communications to build the  FY26-27 Budget Development website

(From the Board Update: August 22, 2025)