Faced with increasing numbers of students and deceasing state funding, the Gorham School Committee is wrestling with hard decisions as it prepares to vote on the district’s budget for 2018-19. At weekly workshops, committee members and school personnel spend hours determining which expenditures are necessary to maintain Gorham’s educational standards, which can be delayed, and which are “wants” that they believe the district cannot now afford. The committee will vote on the FY19 budget at its regular meeting on April 11.

Like many Cumberland County school districts, Gorham will receive less money from the state next year. The $1,210,731 reduction is due largely to increased property values and changes in the required local share contribution. At the same time, 96 more K-5 students are projected to be enrolled next year which will require additional personnel and space.

Instructed to do so by the School Committee, the Administration made cuts to its original FY19 budget request that would have called for a 7.56% increase over the FY18 budget. While $933,000 was removed, an increase of $943,00 in new initiatives remained for items such as additional teachers due to increased enrollment, a need for more special education personnel, textbook and computer replacements, and facilities improvements.

Although Chairman Darryl Wright has said that “everything is on the table” during the discussion, he was referring to those expenditures over which the committee could deliberate. Much of the budget is determined before discussion begins.

Negotiated contractual obligations for salaries and benefits represent 76% of the FY19 budget; increases of 2-2.5% added $920,000. Health insurance costs increased 9%. Transportation, fuel, and facilities maintenance are relatively fixed expenses. Because the budget requests under discussion directly affect students in the classroom, their resources, and their teachers, these decisions are particularly difficult.

Of 13 Cumberland County school districts, Gorham ranks 10th in per pupil expenditure. Finding a balance between fiscal restraint and providing the resources to continue offering the quality of education for which the district is known is a daunting task for School Committee members who volunteer their time and experience, and ultimately, for the Town Council that will receive the school budget for approval in May, and for Gorham voters in June.