Keene voters approve $79.1 million operating budget after rejecting $250,000 special-education amendment

Keene — Voters at the Keene School District’s first session voted to place the proposed operating budget totaling $79,100,705 on the March warrant after rejecting an amendment that would have increased the total by $250,000 for special-education staffing.

The amendment, moved by Jennifer Kiernan and seconded by Eric Murphy, would have raised the proposed budget to $79,350,705. After limited debate the meeting took a raised‑hand count: 14 in favor, 31 opposed; the amendment failed and the board’s proposed budget was accepted for the warrant.

Why it matters: The operating budget sets the district’s spending plan for 2025–26 and affects local property tax bills. The meeting’s debate centered on whether the district should add funds now to restore or create special-education positions, and on how need should be measured — by caseload counts or by a workload model.

Board presentation and proposal Jacqueline Headings, a member of the Keene School Board, presented Article 1 and the budget highlights, explaining that the operating budget proposed for 2025–26 is $79,100,705 and that a default budget (if this article fails) would be $77,683,980. Headings summarized material earlier…