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Portsmouth School Committee reviews FY26 budget draft and approves minutes, contracts, policies and donation
Summary
Committee members reviewed a first draft of the FY2026 operating budget that shows a 5.9% expenditure increase and would require a town tax-rate increase above the 4% cap if fully funded; the committee also approved several routine motions, contract renewals and two policy final reads.
The Portsmouth School Committee reviewed the district’s first draft of the fiscal year 2026 operating budget, which projects a 5.9% increase in expenditures and — as presented — would require roughly a 5.66% increase in the town tax rate if fully funded, district finance staff said.
The budget draft, presented by district finance staff, outlines drivers including flat governor-proposed state aid, a projected increase of about 11.3% in out‑of‑district tuition revenue, higher health‑insurance and pension costs, and a significant rise in student transportation and out‑of‑district special‑education tuition. The draft preserves many principal requests, restores permanent building‑based substitutes, and proposes several new positions, including a modern world language teacher, a special education teacher at the middle school, a math teacher and a school safety officer at Portsmouth High School.
Why it matters: If the committee and town do not reduce the draft as currently written, the town appropriation needed to fund the schools would push the town past its 4% cap on property‑tax increases without a referendum. Committee members were asked to provide feedback before a second draft is produced on Feb. 25 and a final school‑committee vote expected in March.
District finance staff described revenue and expenditure assumptions in detail. The draft assumes limited state aid increases (the presenters noted a likely $11,000 technical correction reducing the governor’s recommendation), expects tuition revenue increases tied to CTE and out‑of‑district placements, and budgets for higher pension contributions and an estimated 8% increase in health‑insurance premiums. The presenters said some account reclassifications were made this year (for facilities/custodial supplies and certain software accounts) to improve year‑to‑year comparability.
Committee members and staff emphasized the next steps: staff will prepare a second draft for Feb. 25 that may seek reductions in non‑personnel lines, followed by a final committee vote on March 11. The school department’s approved budget will be submitted to the town administrator for inclusion in the town budget presentation to the Town Council on April 29.
Votes at a glance - Motion to seal executive‑session minutes (January 14 executive session): moved and seconded; approved (record indicates unanimous). - Approval of meeting minutes (January 27 joint town council/school committee and 02/03/2025 workshop): moved, seconded, approved (record indicates unanimous). - Approval of consent agenda: moved, seconded, approved (record indicates unanimous). - Contract renewal: Director of Student Services — motion for discussion and action, seconded and approved (record indicates unanimous). - Contract renewal: Director of Technology — moved, seconded, approved (record indicates unanimous). - Update to District Building Committee membership list (to reflect town and school representatives): moved, seconded, approved (record indicates unanimous). - Donation: $1,500 to PHS post‑prom committee — moved, seconded, approved (record indicates unanimous). - Policy ADE (Safe Schools) — final read and approval (policy subcommittee unanimous; full committee vote recorded as unanimous). - Policy ADD (Threat Assessment) — title change only; final read and approval (policy subcommittee unanimous; full committee vote recorded as unanimous). - Policy IJNDC (Appropriate Use of District Technology) — second read/discussion; no vote taken (scheduled for further review on Feb. 25). - Policy EHB (Records Retention and Destruction) — first presentation/discussion; no vote taken.
Discussion vs. decision: The FY26 operating budget was presented and discussed; no final budget adoption occurred at the meeting. Multiple routine governance actions (minutes, membership updates), two contract renewals, a donation and two policy final reads were acted on and recorded as approved. Several items (IJNDC, EHB) were discussed and returned for further review.
Clarifying details from the presentation and committee questions included: the draft would require a roughly 5.66% tax‑rate increase to be fully funded (before other town departments are added); compensation rose about 4.1% in the draft, driven by step movements and proposed positions; employee benefits rose about 8.9% largely because of health‑insurance and pension increases; student transportation line increased roughly $398,000 or about 10.8%; out‑of‑district special‑education tuition lines increased by a combined $264,000; and the draft assumes an estimated 19 additional tuition‑paying students in FY26 (net) for a total of 75 tuitioned‑in students.
Committee members asked staff for reductions that avoid personnel or program cuts where possible, and directed staff to return a second draft on Feb. 25 and a final draft on March 11.
Ending: The committee scheduled further budget review on Feb. 25 and will present a final school budget recommendation to the town for the April 29 joint budget presentation; members and staff said they will continue reviewing revenue assumptions and potential reductions over the next month.
