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GRS Budget Update

Posted Date: 1/21/25 (10:30 PM)

Dear GRS School Community,

Recently, at school board meetings, we have heard from concerned citizens about the school budget for the GRS Cooperative Schools. These concerns primarily focus on the rising costs and the sustainability of property tax levels in our towns. I wanted to take a moment to explain the process we have gone through this year so that you better understand the challenges we face.

We began our budgeting process for the 2025-2026 school year in August. Schools were asked to explore ways to minimize costs, and we started assembling preliminary figures at the SAU office. Once these initial numbers were compiled, we met with the finance committee, which is composed of school board members. Our initial budget included no new initiatives. In fact, due to widespread cost increases, we had to make some cuts just to start with a budget that reflected a more than 10% increase over last year.

The finance committee worked diligently with the administrative team and schools to reduce that figure. In our first draft budget, we brought the increase down to 7%, which required cuts to building maintenance and planned projects. Each year, we face rising fixed costs, so maintaining the same level of education for students requires creativity to keep budget increases as small as possible.

After hearing from citizens who expressed concerns about the unsustainable tax burden, we revisited the budget. By making additional cuts, including the reduction of a teaching position, we were able to present a revised budget with a 3% increase. This aligns with the current cost-of-living adjustment and essentially represents a flat budget.

We firmly believe in the quality of our schools and our ability to prepare students for the future. At the same time, we are committed to balancing this with the need for fiscal responsibility.

Sincerely,

David Backler, Superintendent SAU 20