RSU 52 board adopts FY26 budget; rejects bids to restore high‑school science teacher and to cut K–3 devices

The Board of Directors for School Administrative District No. 15 on Thursday approved the administration’s recommended fiscal year 2026 budget after the board rejected several last‑minute amendments.

The superintendent told the board that the district’s health‑insurance renewal came in at 12.9%, adding about $138,000 to the preliminary budget, while workmen’s‑compensation rates fell by roughly $67,500. To keep town tax increases near the board’s guidance of “below 8%,” the superintendent recommended eliminating one currently unfilled high‑school science teacher position; that recommendation remained in the final budget the board adopted.

Why it matters: The rejection of amendments means the district will proceed with the administration’s mix of reductions and carryover assumptions. Board members who opposed eliminating the science position warned the change would reduce elective offerings — for example, the forestry elective and some engineering and forensics sections would run with fewer sections — and could mean larger class sizes at Levitt Area High School next year.

The discussion included several competing priorities: members who wanted to keep the science position cited direct classroom impacts, while the superintendent and finance staff said the proposed cut was the least disruptive option available late in the budget cycle. Board members also debated using the district’s unallocated fund balance to restore positions and how carryover changes would affect future budgets.

Key details and outcomes - Health insurance renewal: 12.9% increase; administration budgeted $138,000 for the increase. (Superintendent reported this figure during the presentation.) - Workmen’s compensation: reduced by about $67,500 since the last meeting. - Unfilled Levitt Area High School science teacher: administration proposed eliminating the line to meet the board’s guidance; annual cost cited in discussion was about $79,860. - Technology purchases: a motion to remove kindergarten and third‑grade iPads/Chromebooks from the FY26 budget (amount cited during debate: $85,920) failed.

Board votes at a glance - Adopt FY26 budget (administration recommendation): motion passed (7 yes, 2 no). Outcome: approved. - Amendment to reinstate Levitt Area High School science teacher (to add the position back to the budget): failed on first amendment (3 yes, 6 no). Outcome: failed. - Amendment to remove funding for kindergarten and third‑grade iPads/Chromebooks (amount discussed: $85,920): failed (1 yes, 8 no). Outcome: failed. - Subsequent amendment to reinstate the science teacher funded by increasing the carryover/unallocated fund balance: failed (2 yes; motion did not pass). Outcome: failed.

Other budget and process notes - Board members discussed reducing facilities warrant items (water‑filling stations, locker replacements, music room carpet) and instructional‑coach costs as possible offsets; administration said it could work with facilities to identify roughly $80,000 if the board directed that approach but warned about implementation and instruction impacts. - Board members and administrators spent significant time debating the tradeoffs between short‑term use of unallocated fund balance and the risk of creating a higher baseline for next year’s budget if carryover patterns change. - Technology funding: administrators explained the district uses state MLTI funding cycles and that tariffs and price increases are complicating long‑term device procurement and replacement schedules.

What the administration will do next: Administration will implement the approved FY26 budget and continue to review staffing and schedule needs for next year; school leaders said they would try to mitigate impacts on students where possible and report back to the board on implementation details.

Votes and procedural actions recorded at the meeting also included creation and elimination of specific positions tied to the FY26 budget (the board approved a slate of position creations and eliminations consistent with the adopted budget), and a motion to authorize the warrants for the upcoming budget validation referendum was approved unanimously.