Kensington Elementary presents proposed 4.28% budget increase; health care and special education named largest drivers

Kensington, N.H. — Kensington Elementary School Principal Becky Ruhl on Monday presented the school’s proposed budget for the 2627 school year, saying the plan reflects a $192,493 net increase (4.28%) driven primarily by higher health and dental insurance costs, expanded special education needs and planned facility work.

Ruhl said “what matters most is that students want to come to school each day and that they feel safe, connected, and inspired to learn,” and framed the budget choices around sustaining instruction and essential student services. She told attendees the largest portion of the proposed increase is tied to employee benefits and retirement contributions, which the school cannot control locally.

The nut graf: Ruhl walked through line‑item changes that together produce the 4.28% increase: increased insurance and retirement costs, higher contracted special education services (including behavioral supports from a board‑certified behavior analyst), a roughly $37,000 rise in facilities and maintenance to plan for HVAC control upgrades and boiler replacement, and modest increases in transportation, auditing, food service and technology replacement. The school plans an $11,000 investment in reading and writing curriculum to comply with recent state legislation requiring evidence‑based reading instruction.

Ruhl said special education services are legally required and noted that an estimated 83% of special education costs are carried by locally raised taxes. She also referenced a July 2025 New Hampshire Supreme Court decision that found the state’s base adequacy funding constitutionally inadequate and cited a $7,356 per‑student figure described in that decision as a conservative minimum, while saying current base state funding remains in the low $4,000s. Because the state amount does not match actual costs, she said, local property taxes make up the difference.

Line‑item increases called out in the presentation included the district’s first student bus contract (about $6,900), outside auditing expenses ($8,400), food service ($3,700), technology replacement ($12,000) and an SAU assessment increase (about $5,900). To balance some of those increases, Ruhl said the staffing line shows a net reduction: the removal of one classroom teaching position and reduced hours for the PE, art and music teachers.

Parents and students also spoke in support of the school. Student Ajay Salazzo said, “That was the best field trip I’ve ever gone to,” and parent Sarah Grotheer told the meeting, “KES is a small school with a small budget, but with a very big heart,” praising staff who attend extracurricular events and personally support students.

Ruhl said the school previously received Title II and Title IV grants that helped fund activities such as a four‑day summer kindergarten camp and teacher attendance at the SAU 16 summer institute; those grants are no longer available and the related activities have been folded into the regular budget. She urged community members to take part in the decision process: a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6, a deliberative session for Tuesday, February 3, and the district vote is set for Tuesday, March 10.

The presentation did not include a formal motion or vote; the meeting served as an informational budget presentation and public outreach ahead of the formal hearing and vote schedule.