North Branford's Board of Education has voted to recommend a $31.8 million 2016-17 schools budget, including $48,000 for a librarian at Jerome Harrison School. 

The BOE arrived at the bottom line after two workshops. As part of that process, the BOE decided to add in the JHS librarian's salary to the 2016-17 budget proposal brought by Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker in January.

The superintendent's request sought an increase of 4.37% over the current year, or $1.19 million. Major contributors to the budget increase include 2.32% for salaries. Factoring into salary increases are certified salaries, due to the new teachers' contract;  as well as .28% added for contractual, non-certified salaries; changes in administrative and substitute salaries, expansion of a special education position, and the move of an instructional coach salary to school board funding. The budget also includes a 1.29%increase for benefits, .43% increase for special education tuition and behavioral services, and .4% increase for adjustment for natural gas and usage.

As noted by Personnel and Finance Director Donald Winnicki at the  January 21 budget workshop held by the BOE, at least a 3.92% annual budget increase is needed to maintain current staff and programs in the district. He also noted there is no federal Title One funding in the proposed budget. Title One money supplements state and local funding for low-achieving children.

Last year, the BOE requested a $31,496,142 budget with a $1.4 million increase in year-to-year spending. The Town Council knocked that requested increase back to $750,000 (with $450,000 earmarked for the health insurance funding account) to create a 2.5% annual increase to the schools budget. However, it was also the largest percentage increase received for town schools since Superintendent Scott Schoonmaker began working for the district six years earlier.