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School committee approves FY2027 budget with 3.1% increase; health premiums drive higher town ask
Summary
The Portsmouth School Committee unanimously approved a $47,636,662 FY2027 operating budget (3.1% increase; 2.9% town appropriation increase). Higher health and dental premiums added ~$382,000; administrators offset about $229,000 through proposed cuts and transfers.
The Portsmouth School Committee voted unanimously (7-0) to approve the district's final FY2027 operating budget, which totals $47,636,662 and represents a 3.1% increase over FY2026.
Administrators told the committee that an unexpected 16.47% increase in health insurance premiums and a 9.14% dental premium increase together added roughly $382,000 to the expenditure budget. To mitigate those costs, the administration proposed a series of reductions — including elimination of 1.0 FTE teaching position achieved by reallocating a 0.6 FTE induction coach into the general budget as a high school counselor (a net 0.4 FTE change reported for the high school counseling department) and other targeted cuts — and projected offsetting savings of approximately $229,000. The final proposal requires a 2.9% increase in the town appropriation compared with the prior year.
The budget presentation included staffing and restricted funds notes: the draft reflects a proposed reduction of three certified teacher FTEs overall and a 0.2 FTE part‑time IT clerical reduction; restricted funds budgets are estimated pending state allocations. Administrators noted material unknowns that could affect the final adopted budget, including an expiring NEA collective bargaining agreement and pending state aid figures from the state general assembly.
The committee then approved three budget transfers over $5,000 totaling $355,787.16. The transfers were described as: $21,441 to partially fund a snow‑plowing overage; $7,171 to consolidate funds for additional IT supplies; and $327,175 to purchase most FY2027 IT equipment in the current year to support a planned reduction in future IT leasing costs. Those transfers were approved unanimously 7-0.
Mr. Ferber moved approval of the final FY2027 operating budget; the motion was seconded and the committee voted 7-0 in favor. The administration plans to present the approved budget to the town council on April 28; the town council's public hearing is scheduled for June 10 with final adoption expected June 22.
The committee also approved prior meeting minutes and the consent agenda earlier in the meeting by unanimous votes.
