South Portland Board approves FY26 budget after divided vote; cuts, restorations shape plan

South Portland ' The Board of South Portland on Tuesday approved the superintendent's FY26 budget with modifications after hours of discussion about cuts, staffing priorities and federal funding risks.

Board members and administrators said the budget tightens spending to limit the local tax increase while preserving core services. The board voted on a package of changes that included eliminating three elementary social-emotional-learning (SEL) positions and restoring the district's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion role from coordinator to director.

The vote followed extended budget work sessions and public comment. Superintendent Dr. Prince told the board that district leaders had "come up with an additional $115,000 in savings," and that those reductions "introduce risk" because they largely fall in supplies, transportation and discretionary conference funding. Dr. Prince also described the district's reliance on two federal funding streams that flow through the state ' local entitlement (special education) and Title funds ' and said the district had funding secured through the federal fiscal year ending in October.

Why it matters: The FY26 budget frames staffing and program decisions for the coming school year and sets the amount voters will consider at the June referendum. Board members repeatedly noted enrollment is declining: the superintendent reported district enrollment at 2,835 students on the day of the meeting, down 67 from the same meeting last year and projected to fall below 2,800 for 2025-26.

What the board decided: During deliberations the board approved several modification items that were incorporated into the final motion to adopt the superintendent's budget: - Eliminate three elementary SEL positions (listed in the budget as a collective savings of about $320,000 before other offsets). The motion to strike the three SEL positions carried after a roll-call-style count the chair read aloud. - Reinstate the DEI position as a director (adding $30,000 to the budget). A board member who advocated for the restoration argued a director-level role provides necessary authority and representation for marginalized communities; other members said the timing and fiscal pressure were difficult. - Proposed cuts to multilingual leadership and to an assistant director of instructional support were discussed but did not carry.

Technology and other savings: Andy Wallace, the district technology director, described a plan to avoid an expected $54,000 equipment purchase by acquiring a donated set of refurbished computers and investing approximately $6,000 to $8,000 in upgrades this year. Wallace said the donation allowed the district to remove the $54,000 line from next year's budget while still meeting basic office needs.

Board members and administrators also identified $15,000 in additional athletics savings and other line-item reductions that together contributed to the $115,000 Dr. Prince referenced.

Public comment and audit concerns: During the meeting's public comment period teachers and union representatives urged transparency after a recently released FY24 audit. Speakers asked the administration and board to explain apparent inconsistencies in benefit and payroll handling and to clarify how an overrun identified in the audit developed and what corrective steps are being taken. The superintendent said the board will discuss the audit at the May meeting and described steps already taken to correct identified issues.

Final vote: The board adopted the superintendent's FY26 budget with the agreed modifications. The meeting record shows a divided vote; the chair announced the result immediately after a roll-call-style count. The final motion was presented by Board Member Ratliff and seconded by Board Member Rauscher.

What's next: The board's adopted budget with modifications will go to the City Council process and, ultimately, to the June budget referendum. The superintendent and board members said they will continue to monitor federal funding risks, enrollment changes and year-end fund balance levels.

Notes on implementation and risk: Dr. Prince cautioned that the many targeted reductions increase operational risk (less margin for unexpected facilities or health-and-safety costs) and that several positions remain funded with federal dollars. Board members asked staff to identify modest additional non-staff operating reductions if possible.

Ending: Board members and staff thanked teachers, administrators, audiovisual staff and members of the public for extensive engagement during a difficult budgeting cycle. The board plans to review the FY24 audit in May and to continue working with the superintendent on implementation details.