Middletown School Committee approves layoffs, $147,000 curriculum purchase and backs statewide background-check bill

The Middletown School Committee on May 21 voted to approve the superintendent's recommendation to lay off certified staff for fiscal reasons and moved several other administrative and policy measures, including a $147,000 one-time curriculum purchase and a resolution supporting state legislation to expand background checks for school employees.

The meeting opened with the chair reading the executive-session justification and later voting to seal the executive-session minutes; no votes were taken in closed session. In open session the committee approved the consent agenda and then approved the layoffs by voice vote.

Superintendent Billy told the committee the district will use fund balance "to make this onetime purchase" of curriculum materials, noting the $147,000 purchase covers state-required, highly vetted curriculum items and that the fund balance is currently "in a healthy state." The motion to use fund balance passed by voice vote.

The committee also voted to adopt a superintendent-evaluation software program (Trackar Performer), selecting a no-cost option after members clarified they did not need the $2,500 paid version. The committee approved renewal of Exello, the district's college-and-career-readiness platform, and authorized disposal or sale of curriculum surplus items.

On policy matters the board approved the second and final reading of revisions to policy 5125 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, education records and confidentiality), approved the first reading of revisions to policies on nondiscrimination of persons with disabilities (policy 6172.35/504DA), and amended the annual review schedule of policy 7128 (cell phone policy) to a three-year review cycle.

The committee also voted to approve a resolution supporting H7356, a proposal the board described as strengthening criminal- and employment-history background checks for anyone employed by or regularly working with students. "It just strengthens our background check policy," a member said during discussion, and the motion passed by voice vote.

Superintendent Billy reported the district had been awarded a roughly $150,000 planning grant to develop career-and-technical-education programming and said the district is coordinating with Electric Boat to align skills training and internship opportunities with local workforce needs.

Votes at a glance
- Executive session and sealing of minutes: approved (voice vote).
- Consent agenda: approved (voice vote).
- Layoffs of certified staff (superintendent recommendation): approved (voice vote).
- School calendar option one (2026–27): approved (voice vote).
- Atlas Behavioral Consultation memorandum of agreement: tabled.
- Use of fund balance for one-time curriculum purchases ($147,000): approved (voice vote).
- Superintendent evaluation software (Trackar Performer): approved (no-cost option) (voice vote).
- Resolution supporting H7356 (school-employee background checks): approved (voice vote).
- Job descriptions (ALP teacher, counselor, CTE positions): approved (voice vote).
- Policy 7128 (cell phone) review cycle amended to three years: approved (voice vote).
- Chartwells child-nutrition policies (first readings): approved (voice vote).
- Silent Spera energy-management platform: approved (voice vote).
- Policy 5125 (FERPA) revisions (second reading): approved (voice vote).
- Policy 6172.35/504DA (disability nondiscrimination) first reading: approved (voice vote).
- Exello renewal (college and career readiness software): approved (voice vote).
- Curriculum surplus declaration: approved (voice vote).

What it means
The committee's actions finalize several administrative changes ahead of the new school year — including technology and curriculum purchases, policy updates required by federal audits, and personnel reductions tied to fiscal necessity. The resolution backing H7356 signals district support for state-level tightening of background-check requirements for school employees, but the measure itself must still pass at the state legislature to change law.

Next steps and context
Superintendent Billy said grant closeouts and reimbursement efforts are underway and that anticipated reimbursements should strengthen the district's fund balance. The committee was told the district will continue outreach around the budget at public hearings and that the CTE planning work will continue in partnership with external funders and Electric Boat.