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Voters in Berwick, North Berwick and Lebanon will decide on their school budget June 9.

The towns, which make up the Noble School District (MSAD 60), will consider a roughly $52.3 million budget, a $2.4 million hike over last year’s. If passed, the new budget would require a roughly 8.61% tax increase.

Each municipality will appropriate funds to contribute to the school budget. Based on student population and the state’s valuation, Berwick will contribute the most at 39.9%, followed by Lebanon’s 31.6% and North Berwick’s 28.9%.

The school board approved the budget to be sent to the ballot in early May. Here’s how it would spend the money if approved by voters.

What’s driving the budget increase?

A number of line-items will see significant increases if approved by voters, including a regular instruction increase of about $586,000 and a facilities and maintenance jump of about $594,000.

Superintendent Audra Beauvais said the biggest budget driver was a lower-than-expected town valuation by the state. 

The three towns were valued at a combined $678,515 less than the last fiscal year. Starting with a property tax base that was lower than usual shorted the district’s budget even before the planning process began, Beauvais said.

Combined with a lower student enrollment — 85 fewer than last June — it has become increasingly difficult to keep taxpayer costs at a minimum, district officials said. 

In a March school board presentation, officials indicated that salaries and benefits would make up 81% of the budget. 

MSAD 60 was previously the only York County district without a pre-K system, until a grant last year allowed for two pre-K classes in each town.

“We did need to move some positions into the budget for that, so that does have an impact as far as salaries go,” school board Chair Kathleen Whalen said.

What are the district’s priorities?

At a May 7 meeting, officials identified five priorities for the district: a five-year facilities plan, continuing the pre-K system, reviewing curriculum, expanding student support and establishing a districtwide special-purpose pre-K classroom.

Part of those priorities is adding a reading program, which Whalen said is a significant investment in student success. 

The elementary school levels — pre-K through eighth grade at Noble — will see a new curriculum in their teaching plans covering the next five years, Whalen said.

Voters also approved an amendment to a line item at the May 7 meeting that increased the budget.

The district’s original budget proposal was $51.9 million but received a boost after voters elected to increase it by $300,000. That took the anticipated tax impact from 7.5% to 8.61%.

Officials will decide where exactly to allocate that money, but it was proposed by a resident as an addition to the district’s transportation budget. 

“Our district is no different than any district in Maine, or across the country, for that matter,” Whalen said, noting that commercial driver’s licenses are hard to acquire and that the district has found it challenging to retain good, qualified drivers.

What about the school renovation fund question?

MSAD 60’s ballot includes an additional question asking voters whether the state should issue roughly $1.2 million in bonds to the district.

If voters approve, the district plans to use the money for air quality improvements at Noble Intermediate. Whalen noted that the school’s HVAC system is 15 years old.

The bonds would be issued through the state’s School Revolving Renovation Fund. The zero-interest loan forgiveness program aims to help schools make efficiency improvements.

The district would only have to repay 42.5% of the total cost, or about $509,000 over the next five to 10 years. The Maine Municipal Bond Bank will forgive the remainder.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some work done,” Beauvais said. “We’ve received (SRRF grants) before for other schools, and it’s worked out really well for the district.”