2022 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 170 - Boards of Education
Section 10-222. - Appropriations and budget.
Each local board of education shall prepare an itemized estimate of the cost of maintenance of public schools for the ensuing year and shall submit such estimate to the board of finance in each town or city having a board of finance, to the board of selectmen in each town having no board of finance or otherwise to the authority making appropriations for the school district, not later than two months preceding the annual meeting at which appropriations are to be made. The board or authority that receives such estimate shall, not later than ten days after the date the board of education submits such estimate, make spending recommendations and suggestions to such board of education as to how such board of education may consolidate noneducational services and realize financial efficiencies. Such board of education may accept or reject the suggestions of the board of finance, board of selectmen or appropriating authority and shall provide the board of finance, board of selectmen or appropriating authority with a written explanation of the reason for any rejection. The money appropriated by any municipality for the maintenance of public schools shall be expended by and in the discretion of the board of education. Except as provided in this subsection, any such board may transfer any unexpended or uncontracted-for portion of any appropriation for school purposes to any other item of such itemized estimate. Boards may, by adopting policies and procedures, authorize designated personnel to make limited transfers under emergency circumstances if the urgent need for the transfer prevents the board from meeting in a timely fashion to consider such transfer. All transfers made in such instances shall be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board and a written explanation of such transfer shall be provided to the legislative body of the municipality or, in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting, to the board of selectmen. Expenditures by the board of education shall not exceed the appropriation made by the municipality, with such money as may be received from other sources for school purposes. If any occasion arises whereby additional funds are needed by such board, the chairman of such board shall notify the board of finance, board of selectmen or appropriating authority, as the case may be, and shall submit a request for additional funds in the same manner as is provided for departments, boards or agencies of the municipality and no additional funds shall be expended unless such supplemental appropriation shall be granted and no supplemental expenditures shall be made in excess of those granted through the appropriating authority. The annual report of the board of education shall, in accordance with section 10-224, include a summary showing (1) the total cost of the maintenance of schools, (2) the amount received from the state and other sources for the maintenance of schools, and (3) the net cost to the municipality of the maintenance of schools. For purposes of this subsection, “meeting” means a meeting, as defined in section 1-200, and “itemized estimate” means an estimate in which broad budgetary categories including, but not limited to, salaries, fringe benefits, utilities, supplies and grounds maintenance are divided into one or more line items.
(1949 Rev., S. 1480; P.A. 78-218, S. 147; P.A. 82-217; P.A. 84-484, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-141, S. 1, 2; P.A. 12-116, S. 16; P.A. 13-60, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 78-218 simplified phraseology by specifying applicability of provisions to local boards, substituting “municipality” for “city, town or school district” and making other technical changes; P.A. 82-217 inserted provisions relating to supplemental appropriations; P.A. 84-484 inserted Subsec. indicator and added new Subsec. (b) re development of a financial information system to assist boards of education in reporting budget data; (Revisor's note: In 1995 the Revisors editorially substituted the numeric indicators (1), (2) and (3) for (a), (b) and (c) at the end of Subsec. (a) for consistency with statutory usage); P.A. 98-141 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re limited transfers in emergency circumstances and to define “meeting”, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 12-116 deleted former Subsec. (b) re financial information system and made a conforming change, effective May 14, 2012; P.A. 13-60 added provisions authorizing board or authority to make spending recommendations, requiring board of education to provide written explanation of reasons for rejection of recommendations and for transfers of funds and defining “itemized estimate”.
Cited. 115 C. 158. Estimates should be itemized so as to indicate whether or not proposed expenditures are for purposes as to which board of education has duty or independent discretion. 127 C. 351. Under section and provisions of charter, Bridgeport board of education has full discretion as to expenditures of money appropriated for school purposes. 133 C. 415. If board of finance properly exercises its discretion and budget is approved by town, board of education has no power to exceed appropriations made. 138 C. 521. Board of finance cannot place funds for school purposes in general government budget to be paid to school board on happening of certain contingencies. 151 C. 1. Cited. 152 C. 568; 162 C. 393; 163 C. 537; 174 C. 522; 182 C. 253; 217 C. 110; 228 C. 699.
Cited. 14 CS 280; 15 CS 370. Board of finance may reduce the estimate submitted by the board of education; authority of board to refuse to honor vouchers up to the amount of money appropriated for maintenance of schools during the fiscal year discussed. 20 CS 224. Phrase “with such money as may be received from other sources for school purposes” does not apply to state and federal grants; appropriation request may be reduced by amount board of aldermen, in its discretion, considers is larger than is reasonably necessary. 25 CS 9. Provision in Trumbull charter re failure of board of finance to adopt budget for submission to town council upheld; relationship between boards of education and municipal budget authorities; extent of municipal obligation to finance education. 32 CS 132.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 237 C. 169. Town charter that allows for separate referenda for town's operating budget and education budget and that allows voters to reject the budgets three times does not rise to the level of a veto and does not violate state statute and policy concerning education. 268 C. 295.
