East Lyme Board confronts $1.2M budget cut; guidance counselor and library positions among options

The East Lyme Board of Education spent a large portion of its April 6 meeting considering how to close a $1.2 million reduction to its proposed 2026–27 budget. Administrators said $400,000 of the reduction is offset by lower-than-expected health insurance costs, leaving roughly $740,000 still to find.

Board members and administrators discussed a range of options to reach the target, including a one-year guidance-counselor position at the high school; eliminating a library secretary position; reducing bus service by one vehicle; and reconfiguring some world-language offerings. Several staffing options would trigger the district’s bumping/layoff rules and could result in certified staff losing seats if reductions move forward.

Trustees stressed that decisions should weigh educational impact first. Multiple members said they were ‘‘deeply uncomfortable’’ cutting counseling capacity or library support while also investing in student safety; others said the district must be pragmatic in balancing the budget and suggested further study of class configurations and consolidation options. Administrators provided detail on which proposed reductions would directly cause an employee to lose a seat and which could be achieved without immediate layoffs.

Special-education placements were raised as a parallel budget issue: one public commenter urged the district to review out-of-district placements, noting these can cost tens of thousands of dollars per student and may be avoidable in some cases if in-district supports are expanded.

Board members scheduled an additional meeting (proposed May 4) and a public forum on April 27 to give the community more time to react before finalizing cuts and preparing materials for referendum.

The board asked the administration for more detailed counselor-to-student ratios, adult-to-student support availability in classrooms, and the fiscal impacts tied to each personnel option before any final vote.