FALLS VILLAGE, Conn.—The Region 1 School District budget for 2025-26 sailed through, 403-72, with all six regional towns passing it by substantial margins Tuesday, May 6.
The district’s member towns votes were: Cornwall, 49-12; Falls Village, 40-16; Kent, 90-17; Canaan, 40-13; Salisbury, 135-3; and Sharon, 49-11.
The budget includes spending packages for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School, the Regional School Services Center, and Pupil Services and totals $18,485,210, an increase of 4.49 percent compared to current spending.
The HVRHS budget accounts for $9,135,577 of the total, an increase of 1.63 percent, while Pupil Services, which covers special education for children with special needs, is $7,522,557, up 7.72 percent. The RSSC budget, which includes the Superintendent’s Office, the business office and other shared services, is $1,827,075, up 6.36 percent.
The budget proposal provoked little interest at an April 10 public hearing, with no questions being asked.
Each town pays a proportional assessment depending on the number of students attending in any given year.
Kent’s assessment for 2025-26 will increase $84,818 (3.7 percent) to $2,611,729.
Cornwall’s assessment is $2,004,274, a decrease of $20,611 (1.12 percent), while Falls Village is assessed at $1,543,685, or $126,423 more (9.01 percent). Canaan at $5,620,587 is up $62,282 (1.09 percent); Salisbury, $4,781,092, up $373,081 (8.93 percent), and Sharon, $1,923,842, up $168,889 (10.49 percent).
The budget was developed even as uncertainty lingered over whether federal cuts would affect the bottom line. In 2024-25, the district received $1.36 million in federal grants, about 3 percent of its total budget. Of that, $780,000 was dedicated to special education and healthcare for students that qualify for Medicare.
The remainder of the federal money supports student nutrition programs and remedial services, including funding a portion of those teachers’ salaries across the district.
The spending package is now included in Kent’s proposed $16,581,073 budget and is an element that cannot be adjusted. Kent’s budget hearing will be held May 15 at 7 p.m.
