Superintendent says health‑care costs, risk‑pool assessment drive Alton school budget rise

Alton Town Budget Committee — At a Dec. 18 budget committee meeting, Superintendent Mr. Broward presented a joint Alton Central School and Prospect Mountain High School budget that would increase 3.84% for fiscal 2026, and said the primary driver of the rise is sharply higher employee health‑insurance costs and a one‑time assessment from the School Care risk pool.

"We're here with a school board approved and recommended budget that reflects an increase of 3.84%," Broward told the committee, later adding that "the main driver behind that, unfortunately, is health care costs." He summarized changes the board approved to limit impact on student services, including the elimination of three positions in the Alton Central School budget and continued sharing of central‑office services across the three‑town arrangement.

Broward described the district's two employee plans: a lower‑premium plan he referred to as the "yellow" plan that is rising about 21% and a high‑deductible "orange" plan rising about 31%, with a family out‑of‑pocket maximum of $10,000 and a…