Portsmouth School Board approves $70.18 million FY27 budget after debate over special education and transparency

The Portsmouth School Board approved a $70,182,153 fiscal year 2027 budget — a 4.48% increase over the prior year — during its Feb. 10 meeting, passing the motion by roll call 7–1.

The vote followed a public hearing where residents pressed the board for clearer line-item actuals and explanations for sharp operating increases. "How do you know which area is going up or down?" asked resident Petra Huda, who presented a table comparing FY25–FY27 line items and highlighted examples (for instance, Dandereo up about 48% and a middle-school line she showed up about 71%). Esther Kennedy, another resident, said January expense reports showed notable overages in several programs and urged clearer revenue reconciliation for special-education reimbursements.

Superintendent Dr. McLofflin and staff responded in detail during board discussion, saying some increases restore operating items cut in prior cycles (instructional supplies, textbooks, projectors) and others fund new initiatives such as an outdoor classroom and curricular partnerships. Administration described a plan to add an assistant director of pupil services (partly by repurposing an existing half-time out-of-district case manager) and a RISE teacher at the middle school aimed at building in-district special-education programming to reduce costly out-of-district placements.

Board members repeatedly requested the detailed actuals residents said were missing. The administration said multi-year actuals and revenue detail are available but acknowledged presentation improvements are needed to make the figures clearer to the public and board. Brian French, presenting expense and revenue highlights, noted the district received $3.7 million in tuition from SAU50 and about $741,000 in the first half of school-building aid, and that the district currently has roughly $4 million unobligated after encumbrances.

During deliberations members weighed whether to add targeted positions that had been requested by principals — such as an engineering-design teacher for CTE and additional case-manager capacity at elementary schools — against the risk that the city council might reduce the district’s request later in the process. Chair and administration emphasized timing: if the council reduces funding late, it could complicate spring hiring.

The motion to approve the proposed FY27 budget passed on a roll-call vote: Brian French, Lisa Raport, Nancy Clayberg, Lee Hudson, Jennifer Shump, Pip Clues and Steven Adler voted yes; Byron Meadow voted no. The superintendent noted the board’s approved number will now go to the city council for its review and that any changes at that stage could affect hiring and implementation timelines.

The board signaled an intention to return with clearer multi-year actuals and revenue breakdowns and to collect and respond to specific line-item questions raised during the meeting. The adopted budget is subject to the city’s review process before it becomes final.