The Mascenic Regional School District School Board approved a final proposed budget of $23,899,107 for the 2027 fiscal year. This represents an increase of $1,923,378, or 8.75%, over last year’s budget, which was also a default budget. However, due to an increase in state funding, the amount that would be raised in taxes is $1,565,629, or (6.5%) — an important distinction in light of concern over the impact the school budget has on taxes.
This proposed budget maintains the current staffing and programming in the district; any reduction in the proposed or default budget will result in a reduction of academic and extracurricular programming which will have an impact on class size, the resources and supplies available to students and staff, and ultimately, the positive progress MRSD has made in recent years.
As this current year is the second year with a default, it’s important to highlight the items that were considered but not brought forward in the budget due to our attempts to reduce the overall increase:
- A van for our Lifeskills Program at MRHS
- Adding additional kindergarten aides
- Library furniture at MRHS
- Staff laptop replacements
- Robotic athletic field painter
- Extracurricular equipment for MRHS
- Alternative Program at MRHS for students who a traditional school day is not conducive
- Technology equipment for courses
- Facility improvements that are not mandated by safety standards
- Increase in elective classes at MRHS (would require additional staffing)
Key Budget Drivers
Several factors are contributing to the increase:
- Salaries (+ $854,852.42): Contract-related salary increases (previously approved by voters on warrant articles), cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and market adjustments for non-union employees, and the addition of a needed Lifeskills Teacher at MRHS. The district employs 70 full-time and 13 part-time residents from New Ipswich and Greenville. Over 62 residents serve as substitutes or coaches.
- Benefits (+ $771,943.43): A significant 25.1% increase in Health Insurance Rates, along with increases in mandated NH Retirement and FICA costs. While the district continues to look into alternate health insurance options, there needs to be a budgeted plan for next year.
- Facilities (+ $187,248): Costs cover replacing failing equipment, increased heating costs, and essential maintenance such as repaving and sidewalk repairs.
- Open Enrollment (+ $100,000): A conservative estimate for a legally required budget line item.
- All Other (+ $9,343): Covers supplies and increased costs for extracurricular activities.
Fiscal Awareness
Mascenic, like most districts across New Hampshire, realizes the financial impact school district budget increases have on taxpayers. Thus we have to balance fiscal responsibility and what is best for students. In fact, we believe the statistics that are available through the NH Department of Education can demonstrate that we are and have been doing “more” with “less”:
- Since the 2020-21 school year, there have been 13 teaching positions reduced while our enrollment has increased by 18 students.
- Since 2022-23 there have been 1.5 positions cut from the SAU which represented administrators’ positions.
- Our district has one of the lowest cost per pupil rates in the region and one of the lowest elementary cost per pupil rates in the state.
- The student to teacher ratios are higher than the state average and most surrounding districts (12.2 students to 1 teacher)
- Our average class size for each of our buildings are higher than the state average .
Additional information can be found on the district’s webpage: www.mascenic.org/ under “Budget Documents”. Residents with questions are encouraged to contact members of the SAU, School Board, or Advisory Budget Committee if they have questions or concerns.
The Deliberative Session will be Feb. 4, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the Mascenic Regional High School Auditorium.
Elizabeth Pogorzelski is the superintendent of the Mascenic Regional School District. Rachel Anderson is the business administrator of the Mascenic Regional School District.