The proposed Marshwood school district budget of $37.7 million for next year, up 5.25% from this year’s $35.8 million, would result in a 4.99% increase for the school portion of town taxes.
“This is the most challenging budget I have ever worked on,” said Superintendent John Caverly as he detailed the proposal for the school board on Wednesday.
The administrators are struggling with the dual responsibility of providing high quality education to the students of South Berwick and Eliot while maintaining fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers, Caverly said.
The state subsidy for general education and special education will increase by a combined $803,227, bringing it to nearly $14 million, but that amount won’t make up for the loss of Covid-related federal grant money and increased costs, he said.
Among the challenges anticipated for the 2024-25 budget cycle, besides grant funding running out, are continued difficulties filling positions for drivers, food service staff, administrative assistants, custodians and education technicians; and a 33% turnover in these hourly positions.
The staffing uncertainty makes it challenging to project the price tag for employee benefits, as new hires are more frequently choosing costly health insurance benefits instead of cash “opt out payments,” which cost the district less money.
Identification of students with special needs has increased by 20% in the past two years, according to Caverly, including a dramatic increase in students requiring out-of-district services that can’t be met locally. Individual placements can run as high as $130,000 annually for a single student.
The price of paper and school supplies skyrocketed during the pandemic and haven’t come down, nor have increased costs to outsource parts and maintenance of district vehicles due to the inability to find and retain a district mechanic. Aging buildings and mental health services will also boost the cost of running the system.
Some of the cost increases are expected to be offset by repositioning staff where they are needed most, including elimination of some positions; charging businesses for use of MSAD 35 buildings; reducing electricity costs through the solar project; and using in-house grounds maintenance.
Enrollment is expected to decrease by 16 students overall, mostly in the middle and high schools. A half-time position is being added to the pre-kindergarten staff to begin positioning for the 2026-27 school year, when pre-K will be full day and more staff will be needed, said Caverly. If pre-K enrollment next year does not require the additional position, the half-time teacher will be utilized for reading intervention.
Administrators worked last fall to project future student enrollment at each school as the first step in the budget process, which is driven by per pupil expenditures. Principals then develop their school’s budget based on the allowed cost per student and the staffing required by district and state classroom size standards. Caverly then works with the administrative team to complete the proposed budget.
Marshwood’s averaged per pupil cost for all schools is $14,046, and will remain below the state average of $14,614 and below the Sanford Regional Technical Center partner average. The per pupil cost rose above average only once in the past six years, in 2022.
The superintendent’s visual presentation of the proposed 2024-25 budget is available here. A series of budget workshops begin March 20 from 5:30-6:45 p.m. in the Career Center, the downstairs room formerly occupied by the Learning Center, at Marshwood High School.
