A midcoast school district’s budget could cost the two sending towns about 14 percent more over the next school year.
Voters in Searsport and Stockton Springs will vote on the $11,200,146 total budget for the 2023-2024 school year on Tuesday.
The budget is 5.2 percent higher than the previous budget due to increases in day-to-day expenses and providing raises to teachers and support staff. But because spiking land valuations and lower enrollment numbers have led to a reduction in state funding, the burden on the towns will be greater, officials said.
If passed, Searsport and Stockton Springs would be responsible for an additional $856,474 to fund RSU 20’s three schools, a 14.5 percent increase from the current budget assessment for town funds. Of that amount, Searsport would be responsible for $531,749, and Stockton Springs would cover $324,725.
Property value plays a key role in the state’s determination on what percentage of funding should be provided locally, said RSU 20 Superintendent Chris Downing.
“Land valuation really nailed our towns, as well as a lot of towns around the state,” Downing said.
The state also provides subsidies based on the number of enrolled students, Downing said. During the pandemic, RSU 20 enrollment hit its lowest point since at least 2011, partially because some students transitioned to home schooling. Those numbers have been creeping up again, but some state funding is based on current enrollment, Downing said.
Aside from a reduction in state funds, the district is also no longer receiving federal grant money provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, Downing said. That loss led RSU 20 to cut three federally funded positions, including two intervention roles for students struggling due to the pandemic, as well as a health assistant position for COVID-19 testing for students and faculty.
Any increase in burden for the towns is challenging, Downing said, but he believes there’s a lot of community support in the area for education.
“The community, they’re vital to our whole budget process and to our schools, they support our kids,” he said.
Searsport and Stockton Springs residents both vote on the budget Tuesday. If rejected, school officials will need to look toward additional cuts that would reduce the overall budget and present an updated version for a future vote.
