The Mascenic Regional School District Budget proposed for the upcoming school year is just under 5% higher than the current budget.

The details on the total were rolled out at Wednesday's Deliberative Session at the high school, at which the School Board and administrators discussed the specifics of the $22.34 million request that will be put to voters next month. 

The largest drivers in the $1.04 million increase in the budget are nearly $400,000 for an increase in health insurance and just over $400,000 for new positions, responding to student needs, and cost-of-living adjustments for current staff. 

Rachel Anderson, business administrator for the district, explained expenses regarding teacher salaries and benefits, with a packet showing Mascenic’s lowest teacher salaries to be tied with Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative’s at $48,000 annually, lower than ConVal, Jaffrey-Rindge and Hollis-Brookline. At $3,000 higher than ConvVal’s high salary level of $71,000, Mascenic remains below the other neighboring districts in this category.

In terms of benefits, Anderson said that health insurance costs for next year are up 9% and dental coverage is up 6%. 

“We continue to be among the lowest-paid districts, and we try to make up for this with benefits,” Anderson said.

Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Pogorzelski explained more than once that the compensation of educators has a bearing on the work they do, and the results.

“There is a correlation between higher pay for staff and student achievement,” said Pogorzelski.

Other drivers of the increase include the technology budget, an additional $40,143 that includes replacing 150 Chromebooks for students as part of the technology cycle. The Boynton Middle School budget request includes an increase of 19% to accommodate The Benchmark Reading Program for grades five and six and the supporting software. The increase requested for BMS is $27,345

Highbridge Hill Elementary School is seeking $11 million for 2025-2026, a 9% increase that includes the cost of reading and math assessment programs and the goal of establishing a full-time librarian at the school and making a reading and writing support position permanent. 

School Board Chair Steve Spratt called attention to an $84,098 increase in the student services budget as resulting from an overall increase in the number of students who are identified as requiring special education and Chapter 504 services designed to meet individual student needs. Spratt noted that there are increased costs of transportation as a result of special education and the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act which requires the district to provide services to homeless students. He added that dollars also leave the district as a result of charter school choices.

“New Hampshire is one of the few states that provides special education dollars for students attending charter schools anywhere,” said Spratt. “If we continue to put money into charter schools, your costs will continue to go up while state aid is declining.”

Several attendees in the auditorium asked questions and offered comments on the budget. One point that participants focused on was the district’s proficiency in state assessments relative to New Hampshire averages. In 2024, 48% of Mascenic district students demonstrated  proficiency in English Language Arts on statewide tests compared to a 53% average statewide, 40% proficiency in math compared to 41% statewide and 32% proficiency in science contrasted with 36% statewide.

“We are not satisfied with the services,” said Jeffrey Carter of New Ipswich.

In response, Pogorzelski said, “We're trying to reduce learning gaps with a full-time reading specialist,” adding that meeting students' social and emotional needs can take them away from their learning.

“In terms of students accessing guidance counselors, some days there’s a revolving door,” said Pogorzelski.

An individual from New Ipswich who declined to give his name said at the microphone that he homeschooled his five students, and that Pogorzelski’s statement suggested that “The school is becoming a mental health facility.” 

Pogorzelski called attention to a chart in a handout displaying the cost per pupil in Mascenic and neighboring districts for fiscal 2024 that stated Mascenic’s cost of $19,736 as the most-efficient in the region. WLC‘s cost per pupil was  $21,599 that year; Jaffrey-Rindge’s was $20,565, and ConVal’s was $20,765. She also noted that the requested increase of 4.89% is in the middle of the pack in terms of what other area districts are requesting, with Hollis-Brookline requesting 7.56% more and ConVal seeking an increase of 3.1%. 

Spratt explained that departments employed “zero budgeting” this year, starting from zero rather than simply increasing budgets from last year. The $22.34 million total would include $13.3 million in local taxes and $6.3 million of state aid.

Speaking in support of the proposal, Aaron Cormier of New Ipswich said, “In my 25 years here, the town budget has gone up 400%, and the school budget has not, but the town roads are no better.”

Voting on warrant articles and district offices will be held on March 11.