CARE Education Action Team ACTION ITEM
Stratford Care
At our CARE Education Action Team Meeting, we discussed some recent BOE meetings and sub-committee meetings. As many of you probably know, the 2024/2025 BOE Budget with only a 3.27% increase is now heading to the Town Council. This budget proposal includes a loss of math and reading coaches, all remaining school librarians, the ALPHA program, any interns from local colleges and universities, AP positions at two elementary schools and many other line items that would greatly impact the way our schools are able to function. It is also important to note that at an earlier BOE finance committee meeting, acting Superintendent Heather Borges, presented a 6.69% increase as a recommendation. When asked to present budget scenarios at 5.5% and 3.5%, she spoke of not being able to present a scenario for 3.5% because it would have such a negative impact on our schools and community. Yet the budget that passed our BOE with a 4-3 vote has an even lower increase of 3.27%.
Action Item: The next town council meeting is on Monday, March 11th. Public forum begins at 6 p.m. and the regular meeting starts at 7p.m. To sign up to speak, you must sign up in person before 6 p.m. at Town Council Chambers.
Please make sure to ask for the Town Council and Mayor to fund the ask of Acting Superintendent Heather Borges for 6.69% not the BOE board budget of 3.27%.During our action team meeting, Lisa Carroll-Fabian reminded us that this specific wording is very important, as to ask to “fully fund the budget” technically means funding only that 3.27% increase.
Thank you for your continued investment in working for equity in Stratford!
The CARE Education Action Team
