Editor’s note: This article has been corrected. The salary and benefit costs represent 85% of the total increase in the budget, not an 85% increase in the total budget. The Reporter regrets the error.
The proposed $40.7 million school budget for 2026-27 represents a 4.33% increase over this year’s $39 million spending, with escalating salaries, insurance costs and special needs services accounting for nearly $1.7 million in additional expenses, according to Heidi Early-Hersey, interim superintendent for MSAD35.
The Marshwood school board’s review of the superintendent’s recommended budget will continue in two more workshops, 5 to 7 p.m. April 1 and April 15. The public may attend but comments are not taken during workshops.
The budget schedule allows for an additional workshop, if necessary, from 5 to 7 p.m. before the start of the April 29 board meeting at which the board will take action on the proposed budget.
Voters can offer opinions and propose revisions to budget articles at the annual District Budget Meeting May 11 at Marshwood High School, where those in attendance will vote the budget up or down by hand count.
The final budget validation referendum vote by secret ballot will be held at the high school June 9.
Increased salary and benefit costs totaling $1,148,693 – both expenses fixed by contract – represent 85% of the total increase in the budget, Hersey told the school board at its March 11 meeting. The cost-of-living salary adjustments for staff are 3% and 3.8%, and insurance costs have risen by 10%, she said.
Salary increases represent 67% of the increase and insurance costs are 17%.
Though administrators are not in a formal union structure, they negotiate with the school board as a group, Hersey said. In a 3-year contract negotiated this year and effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, a 3.8% COLA is part of the agreement for the 2026-27 school year.
Teachers and support staff both are represented by the Quamphegan Education Association, but the two contracts are negotiated separately. The district is currently in the second year of a 3-year contract with both groups, said Hersey, and the 3% COLA is part of that agreement. Teachers also qualify for step increases that are factored into their salaries.
A nearly 10% increase in students with special needs requires six new educational technician positions costing $400,000. The total proposed budget for special education is $8 million, an increase of 8.7% over this year’s $7.4 million expenditure.
The proposed vocational budget of $100,750 is down by $1,150 because more students now attend Sanford Regional Technical Center classes than the more costly Dover program, Hersey told the board. She also noted the student transportation budget of $2,286,602 is down by $72,248 because there are fewer bus routes due to the shortage of drivers.
The addition of an Athletics Department administrator position to serve both Marshwood High and Marshwood Middle schools, as well as the need to provide a trainer for all home sports contests, are among the reasons the extracurricular budget will see an increase of $105,611 for a total of $1,297,235, an 8.86% increase.
Other proposed budget increases:
- School Administration: $2,219,676 – increased by $204,259, or 10%
- System Administration: $1,265,428 – increased by $38,441, or 3.13%
- Regular instruction: $17,411,059 – increased by $538,974, or 3.19%
- Student/Staff support: $3,957,753 – increased by $19,117, or 0.48%
- Facilities: $4,064,574 – increased by $217,011, or 5.64%
If the budget as presented to the directors on March 11 is approved by voters June 9, South Berwick taxpayers will see a $688,458, or 6.8%, rise in costs; Eliot’s costs will increase by $164,731.
The State establishes a required contribution to the budget from each Maine School Administrative District member town, based on the town’s total property valuation. This year, that amount is $7.3 million for Eliot and $6.3 million for South Berwick. Last year Eliot was required to pay $7.5 million and South Berwick $6 million.
The towns are also assessed an additional local contribution based on 50% of each town’s property valuation and 50% on enrollment numbers; those funds pay for the portion of the budget that isn’t required by state-mandated educational standards.
Eliot has 845 students in Marshwood district schools and will pay nearly $4.4 million in additional costs; South Berwick has 1,065 students and will pay nearly $4.6 million.
Eliot’s total property valuation has steadily increased at a rate of 6% to 8% since 2017. South Berwick’s valuation had increased more slowly, but recently has seen a 13% to 15% jump, according to information provided by the superintendent’s office.
The entire March 11 budget presentation is streamed on the MSAD35 website.
