Milford Public Schools is preparing for the worst as it looks to close a potential budget hole of roughly $1.8 million.
“It is going to be devastating to this community and it is really going to set our schools back. And that is not what we want,” said Kara Flannery of Milford.
At a meeting on Wednesday, the Board of Education dove in to consider the potential savings. That could include closing a school, teacher layoffs and cutting programs like elementary STEM and world language.
“There will have to be some difficult decisions that will have to be made if the money is not restored,” said Susan Glennon, Milford Board of Education chair.
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Earlier this month, the city’s Board of Finance approved an education budget of roughly $104 million, about $2 million less than the school board had requested.
But the board chair said they could justify the proposed more than 4% increase.
“There's data that backs it up. The data is all contractual wage increases, contractual services, transportation costs. Everything is going up,” said Glennon.
As options are weighed, the focus now shifts to the city’s Board of Aldermen. That’s the next step in the budget approval process.
“It is about time that we invest in Milford Public Schools and do so without so much trauma. Our kids deserve it. Our community deserves it,” said Emmeline Harrigan of Milford.
According to meeting minutes from the finance board, it was pointed out the school budget they approved still had one of the biggest increases in several years.
At this point, it’s not clear when the Board of Aldermen will take up the issue.
