January 22nd, 2025
Dear Plainfield Community,
I am pleased to present our initial proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 (FY26). This document provides a comprehensive overview of our financial planning and priorities.
The proposed budget increase of $2,011,303 primarily addresses our contractual obligations, which account for $1,634,582 (81.27%) of the total increase. These obligations include:
- Contractual Salary Increases: $1,082,117
- Contractual Benefit Increases: $147,826
- Contractual Special Education Increases: $352,488
- Increased Pension Contribution: $52,151
As the majority of our workforce is school-based, this allocation ensures our resources directly support classroom instruction, student engagement, and educational excellence.
The budget increase also includes two key initiatives:
- $46,486 for a phased implementation of our elementary school math program
- $90,000 for the reinstatement of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program
- $86,367 in extended hours for security in schools
Through extensive collaboration with all stakeholders in the Plainfield Public Schools community, we have developed a comprehensive FY25 budget totaling $40,207,822—a 5.27% increase from the FY24 adopted budget of $38,194519. This budget reflects our commitment to both educational excellence and fiscal responsibility, supported by local, state, and federal funding.
The following pages provide a detailed analysis of this budget increase and demonstrate how each dollar investment supports our students' academic, social, emotional, and personal development within safe and supportive learning environments.
Sincerely,
Paul M. Brenton
Superintendent of Schools
For a detailed breakdown of this increase and a transparent account of how each dollar contributes to the academic, social, emotional, and personal development of our unique and remarkable students in safe and supportive environments, please refer to the following pages.