The school system budget proposal for the 2013-14 fiscal year now stands at $51.9 million.
That represents an increase of 7.87 percent from this year's $48.1 million budget after the Board of Education trimmed more than $300,000 off the bottom line on Wednesday.
Here's how the scenario has played out so far. On Jan. 9, Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway unveiled a $51,885,043 spending proposal, and increase of $3,704, or 7.69 percent, from the 2012-13 figure of $48,180,997.
That figure represented the first step in a phased-in all-day kindergarten program and some extended day and year opportunities for students. Conway was asked to run the numbers for all-day kindergarten in all five of the town's elementary schools and extended learning opportunities for all students. The bottom line then jumped to $55,719,865 from this year's figure, an increase of $7,538,868, or 15.65 percent.
At a Jan. 16 budget workshop, the school board placed an emphasis on all-day kindergarten across the board and voted on a figure of $52,315,885, which is $4,134,888, or 8.58 percent, more than this year's budget.
On Wednesday, the Board of Education took $344,080 off that bottom line and approved the latest working figure of $51,971,805, a number $3,790,808, or 7.87 percent, more than this year's budget.
Here is a summary of those cuts:
• Three elementary school teaching positions with salaries of $53,000 each and benefit values of $16,000 each.
• $20,000 from the prescription drug account.
• $7,300 from a workers' compensation account.
• 26 laptop computers - at $1,170 each - that could have been purchased for staff members for a cut of $30,420.
• 8 smart boards at $3,670 each for a cut of $29,360.
• $20,000 and $30,000, respectively, from summer school accounts for Vernon Center Middle School and Rockville High Schools. The funds were designated for additional offerings.
The next school board budget workshop is scheduled for Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the school administration building.
The board is scheduled to vote on the budget proposal on Feb. 8.
