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RSU 12 superintendent warns federal grant uncertainty and rising tuition are driving a larger preliminary FY2026 budget
Summary
Superintendent D. Taylor told the RSU 12 board that a preliminary FY2026 draft budget would increase roughly 6.7%, driven by rising high‑school tuition and special‑education costs, and warned that proposed federal cuts to nutrition and other grants could force program and staffing changes.
Superintendent D. Taylor said RSU 12 receives roughly $1.5 million in federal funds — largely Title I and special education — and warned reductions would require the district to reconsider programs and staffing.
"We get about 1.5 million in federal dollars," D. Taylor said, adding that Title I and special‑education funding are central to services the district must provide. Taylor urged board members and residents to contact legislators about an approaching continuing resolution that could reduce nutrition and SNAP funding.
The board heard a preliminary FY2026 draft budget that, as presented, would increase the district budget about 6.7%. Taylor and staff identified two main drivers: high‑school tuition and special‑education costs. The superintendent said high‑school tuition rose about $768,000 and that the district’s special‑education budget is currently projected to increase by about $460,000.
Taylor framed the problem as a mix of enrollment and property valuation shifts. He said student counts remain below earlier years while town property valuations have increased, which flattens state subsidy under the EPS (Essential Programs and Services) formula and leaves more of the burden on local taxpayers.
District staff highlighted several additional cost pressures that factor into the draft: an insured‑value factor increase that will raise tuition costs charged to the district, rising contributions to retirement, and recent state legislation that increased minimum pay for support staff and added paid family medical leave obligations. Staff also noted an increase in the number of support‑staff employees taking district health insurance (from 190 to 214 employees in one year) and related costs.
The superintendent said the draft is preliminary: finance‑committee deliberations will continue and final budget votes are scheduled in the coming weeks. The district will hold a public budget meeting May 21 and the referendum vote is scheduled for June 10. Taylor said the finance committee and the board will continue to refine numbers as negotiations and health‑insurance rates are finalized.
What happens next: the finance committee will meet to review specifics, the board will consider adjustments at its April meeting, and voters will decide the budget at the June 10 referendum vote.
