School Board Details Proposed Cuts

Trumbull Board of Education member Lisa Labella on Friday summed up the effect of the panel’s proposed cut list.

“I don’t see any good choices. We are dismantling our education system,” she said.

Labella spoke of proposed cuts totaling $2.87 million that Schools Supt. Ralph Iassogna announced at a special meeting at the Friday evening at the behest of the Board of Finance.

The finance board made a formal request for a list of specific cuts from the education board’s $89.5 million budget – 5.38 percent over the current year – to $86.6 million, or two percent above this year’s budget. This lowest amount is even below the first selectman’s request of $87 million.

Iassogna ordered the cuts into six groups, beginning with sizable reductions of the already bare bones classroom and office supplies, and going through the elimination of the Talented and Gifted program in fourth and fifth grades, junior varsity cheerleading, all freshman athletics and the Alternate School program at Trumbull High School and shutting Channel 17.

Cuts would include some 5.5 Full Time Equivalent teachers, many intervention specialists, six technology para-educators, 2.5 custodians and three secretaries.

Less attractive, and lower on the list, was increasing elementary class sizes to eliminate five teaching positions and one teaching specialist.

Still on the table, though not yet detailed, is the possible reconfiguration of the elementary level. Here doubts were raised that moving children around would lead to either consequential educational gains or significant dollar savings.

Likewise, closing an elementary school has not been taken out of the discussion. But neither of these can be accomplished between now and September, Iassogna said.

An impassioned superintendent opened the two and a half hour meeting that began with over 40 citizens in attendance, saying that should the cuts take the budget down to the $87 million requested by the first selectman, “we will certainly see a difference in Trumbull’s schools.”

Iassogna seeks to hold class size and maintain safe and clean facilities as far through the process as possible, and these are cornerstones to providing a quality education to all Trumbull students, from the academically strongest to the most needy special education student.

Board Member Steve Wright – who was appointed to the state Board of Education by Gov. Dannel Malloy on Friday – remarked that he attended this meeting out of respect for the first selectman.

“The Board of Education approved a budget to deliver a superior product with no frills and no new programs. If the first selectman does not believe the money is there, I respect him. But I disagree with him,” he said.

He added that, “when the final budget comes back after Town Council approval in May we may not do then what we will do today.”

Board Chairman Edward Lovely closed the meeting and put it in perspective. “School will open in September,” he said. “But what will the quality of our programs be?” 

He added “I have been associated with Trumbull’s schools for 51 years. Now my hope is that my six grandchildren, who attend school here, will receive the same education my six children received.”

The board meets again today at 7 p.m. at the Long Hill Administration Building.