RSU 60 administrators presented a proposed fiscal 2026 budget at a public workshop, describing a fiscal plan that adds full-year costs for a new Pre-K program while restructuring grade assignments across district schools and contending with sharply higher employee benefits.

The proposed budget shows a 2.39% increase in total expenditures from the current year. District officials said the local tax request needed to balance the plan would rise by about $2.1 million, a roughly 8.8% increase over the current local contribution, after accounting for state subsidy and other revenue sources.

District business staff and administrators emphasized that the headline revenue changes reflect several one-time and recurring items. “The increase that you’re seeing includes additional state subsidy tied to Pre-K and compensation adjustments, and it also includes expected increases for health insurance,” said Denise (staff member), who led the budget walk-through. She added that medical claims last year and a high claims ratio at the trust are driving a larger premium outlook: “Medical insurance is not our friend this year.”

Why it matters: Administrators said adding Pre-K seats, starting a full year of paid family medical leave contributions, and reassigning grades between elementary buildings are the biggest programmatic drivers in the FY26 plan. That combination of program changes and benefit cost growth requires larger local funding even though overall spending growth is relatively modest.

What’s in the draft: The draft proposal keeps instructional staffing broadly level overall while shifting positions to reflect the reconfiguration (moving some grades and consolidating others). Administrators told the board they expect many line-item adjustments before the final budget, including reclassifying supply allocations after staff and grades are reassigned.

Health and benefits: District finance staff warned that Anthem’s claims and the state’s “main benefits” trust have produced unusually high loss ratios, and the trust has signaled larger premium tiers. Denise said the district has modeled several scenarios and will not finalize the budget until official premium rates are released in late March or April; a top-tier premium would require additional local decisions.

State subsidy and Pre-K: The workshop included a detailed review of the state EPS (Essential Programs and Services) funding worksheet. Staff explained how the state calculates a per-student baseline using an October 1 student count and standardized staffing ratios. The district’s addition of 96 Pre-K students in the EPS calculation produces a large increase in state subsidy on paper, but staff said timing and “true-up” reporting in October will adjust the final subsidy amount. Administrators estimated the Pre-K reimbursement will largely offset the incremental program cost in FY26.

Reconfiguration and transportation: Administrators confirmed proposed grade moves that change which grades attend each building next year, and they acknowledged transportation impacts. The district will revise bus routes and evaluate mileage and fleet needs; transportation staff are recruiting drivers and adding dedicated athletic drivers to reduce charters for early-season trips. Board members expressed particular concern about the length of bus rides for younger students moved to different buildings and asked staff to provide specific route and ride-time estimates before a final vote.

Special education and high‑cost placements: The budget reflects state guidance on high-cost out-of-district placements. Staff said some high-cost placements historically covered by federal grants will be recognized differently by the state and that a spring “true-up” will affect FY25 revenues. The district also budgets local dollars for special education services that exceed state and federal reimbursement.

Fund balance and federal grants: Administrators reiterated that the district entered the budget cycle with a lower available fund balance after one-time uses in the prior year. They also said uncertainty about federal grant renewals required conservative assumptions; the district will continue contingency planning in case federal allocations decline.

Next steps: The board set a follow-up workshop for Thursday night to review line-by-line changes, staffing moves and route-level transportation impacts. Administrators said some numbers remain provisional pending final insurance rates and state revenue notifications, and they will circulate a more detailed staff‑position map before the workshop.

Ending: District staff invited further written questions and said they will post updates and revised drafts electronically before the board’s next public workshop. The board did not take any votes at the workshop; the session was strictly a public presentation and discussion of the draft FY26 proposal.