Norfolk taxpayers can expect to pay $1,019,088 for their share of the Northwestern Regional School District #7 budget in the 2026-2027 school year if the proposed budget is accepted.
The proposed $25,345,724 budget for Northwestern Regional School District #7 reflects an increase of 2.10 percent, or $520,995. After revenues are factored in, taxpayers would pay $23,108,592 for the 2026-2027 school year. Norfolk, which is expected to send 61 students to the school next year and would be assessed at 4.41 percent of the budget.
The largest increase, $418,954, is for salaries and benefits, which consume 67 percent of the total budget. Superintendent of Schools Steve LePage said salaries increased only $50,856 (.40 percent) because the district offered retirement incentives to senior teachers. Four teachers took advantage of the incentive package and only one new teacher was hired at a lower rate. LePage said the salary increases would have been about $500,000 without the retirement plan.
The school district has been reducing faculty through attrition for several years as student enrollments have declined. The school has 685 students in middle and high school this year, down from more than 1,000 in 2019-2020. Administrators believe the declining population will remain relatively constant at the current enrollment for the foreseeable future.
Benefits increased 9.42 percent ($388,098) with medical benefits alone rising by 12 percent, continuing a three-year upward trend.
Another large increase is found in professional/technical services, up 9.83 percent ($226,813). This area includes, among other items, special education technical services, up 10.74 percent, or $95,466, and technical services, up $80,000 to purchase new technology to handle business operations, payroll and attendance tracking.
Other purchased services decreased by $203,334 decrease because special education transportation dropped 17.61 percent ($99,570) and special education tuition, which is paid for outplacement of special needs students, dropped by 16.83 percent ($198,492).
The four member towns of the district—Norfolk, Colebrook, Barkhamsted and New Hartford—are assessed their portion of costs based on shifts in student populations as they relate to the other towns.