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Portsmouth council hears that teacher contract and special-education costs push school spending above 2.9% guidance
Summary
Councilors and school officials debated how teacher contract costs, special-education out‑of‑district placements and a school board budget gap would affect the city’s targeted 2.9% spending guidance; council scheduled related votes and a bond-repurposing public hearing for June 9.
Portsmouth City Council members and school officials on May 19 discussed how ratified labor agreements and rising special-education costs would change the school department’s proposed increase and the citywide budget.
Deputy City Manager for Finance Administration Nathan said the city estimates the tentative teachers’ contract would cost “approximately $900,000” and that the library contract is roughly $34,000; both fit inside the city’s $1,990,000 collective-bargaining contingency, he said. “If you add $900,000 to [the school manager’s] $1,850,000, that would put you at $2,750,000, which would be a 4.3 percent increase year over year in the school department,” Nathan said.
The council opened a public hearing on the budget and then received multiple public comments—from parents, school-board members and residents—urging additional school staffing and support for mental-health and special-needs services.…
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