The Board of Education approved its $81.4 million budget Tuesday, eliminating eight teaching positions in order to close the $800,000 gap between its proposed budget and the amount the Legislative Council approved.
Four elementary teaching positions and four positions at Hamden High School — Art, Spanish, Social Studies and Special Education positions — were cut, but no staff will be laid off, Supt. of Schools Fran Rabinowitz said. That's because those holding the jobs have retired, she said, and won't be replaced.
"After looking at the [high school] master schedule, we realized we would be able to do that," Rabinowitz said. Which elementary schools will lose teaching positions will be determined, she said.
Also eliminated were six special education paraprofessional positions — two at Hamden Middle School and the other four throughout the district, she said.
"Class size will not suffer" under the changes, Rabinowitz said.
"We needed to make up $800,000 and clearly we will not be doing any layoffs," said board member Jim Pascarella.
"It's been a struggle with this budget, and we are not happy with the reductions," said board member Chris Honnen. "We need to keep talking to the Legislative Council members so we don't continue the eroding of the curriculum."
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