Kent officials propose $6.2 million schools budget

The Kent Board of Education has delivered a $3,735,848 budget proposal for 2010-11.

Add the town's portion of the Region 1 school district budget request to that figure and the total Kent schools budget would be $6,228,000 -- representing an increase of 0.28 percent over this year.

"For us, most increases were driven by contractual salary obligations and benefits as well as fuel oil," said Tracy Horosky, chairman of the town's Board of Education. "Most of our line items were flat or down."

During recent contract negotiations, most teachers changed health coverage to health savings accounts, which kept insurance costs down, Ms. Horosky said.

The proposed schools budget has been presented to the Board of Finance, whose members sat in on the education board meeting last week.

-- Susan Tuz