Biddeford panel outlines $2.65M budget increase, seeks more special-education and ELL staff

The Biddeford School Committee on March 13 reviewed a proposed FY2024–25 budget that would raise spending by roughly $2.65 million, with most of the increase tied to salary, benefits and insurance, district officials said.

"This item is just informational for you guys; I will highlight quickly some of it," the district presenter said as the meeting began, signaling that the session would summarize work already shared with the committee. The budget presentation and follow-up discussion focused on student-demographic changes, rising special-education needs and capital work connected to the primary-school addition.

Officials told the committee that special-education identification has grown to about 22% of students (roughly 531 students) and that the district has budgeted $150,000 for out-of-district placements. Based on current enrollment trends and program demand, the district is asking for three additional special-education teachers to keep more students served inside district classrooms, officials said.

Committee members also heard that the district has 115 more students who now qualify as English-language learners this year. Staff proposed converting two education-technology positions into classroom teachers to address ELL needs and said some other classroom-teacher counts will be reduced where data support consolidation.

Capital and facilities needs were a separate emphasis. Principals from JFK and Biddeford Primary described moves of classroom sections between buildings tied to the primary-school addition; they also flagged building maintenance priorities such as painting, furniture replacement and playground repaving. The presenter urged the committee to compile a consolidated capital-improvement (CIP) list so one-off carryover money and potential SR3 or ESSER funds could be deployed efficiently after the primary-school bid opening.

The superintendent and staff told members they will present the budget to the City Council on Tuesday and that carryover estimates now show about $1.15 million available in the near term; the superintendent recommended using one-time carryover funds for capital projects where appropriate and keeping an eye on final health-insurance rates, which could change budget math in coming weeks.

Committee members emphasized the challenge of rising property valuations and state subsidy formulas, which together have driven the district’s tax impact higher even when expenditure increases are modest. "We have to continue to have that discussion about valuation," one member said, urging advocacy at the state level for adjustments to school funding formulas.

Next steps: staff will finalize health-insurance assumptions and bid results for the primary-school addition, present the district budget to City Council, and return to the committee with a consolidated CIP proposal and any recommended adjustments.