The Hampton School Board is considering a balanced $66.5 million budget for the 2025-26 school year that includes a 4% property tax increase.
It’s the highest increase the school district is allowed under its state-imposed inflation limit. If approved, it would increase the annual school property tax bill for a home at Hampton’s $175,000 median assessed value by $161, to $4,186.
The millage rate would increase from 23 mills to 23.92 mills.
As proposed, the district’s spending is increasing by about $2 million, or 3.11%, from the current school year.
The school board reviewed the budget and next school year’s staffing with administrators during a special meeting April 29.
Salaries, benefits, debt service, utilities and student transportation account for 87% of the district’s spending.
Salaries are expected to increase 2.7%, or about $802,000, while medical insurance rates will increase 5.7%.
Five teachers are retiring. Of those, two high school social studies teachers will not be replaced, while an open high school physical education teacher also will not be replaced, Superintendent Michael Loughead said. He said the district is “right-sizing” the high school faculty in light of decreased enrollment.
Loughead said no other staffing adjustments will be needed for the foreseeable future.
“Every teaching position is precious,” he said. “These are very difficult decisions for us to make.”
The budget puts $225,000 in reserve for up to three long-term substitute teachers, if needed.
Other budget highlights include:
• A $65,235 reduction in the district’s overall contributions to A.W. Beattie Career Center, from about $877,400 to $812,200, caused by a recalculation of the career center’s budget.
• A $38,400, or 2.8%, increase in the district’s special education budget of $1.4 million. It includes tuition for special education private schools, extended school year tuition and contracted special education services. Recent increases are mainly for out-of-district special education program placements and the projection that many of the placements do not qualify for a 60% state funding share.
• The athletics budget is up 11.7%, or about $39,000, to $367,500. It includes funds for replacement football uniforms and the purchase of lacrosse helmets, golf bags and track hurdles.
• The budget includes a $150,000 capital projects transfer to fund projects in the annual five-year facilities improvement plan. Significant items include a pickup, $50,000; case track loader, $23,000; Fridley Field guardrail replacement, $18,000; volleyball upgrades, $15,500; middle school chorus risers, $10,300; and Poff push-button door replacement, $9,400.
An additional capital projects transfer of about $577,000 is included to pay for other district capital projects, including concrete replacements, roof repairs and lighting upgrades.
• A $99,139 decrease in the $877,500 technology budget.
For 2025-26, the budget includes financing payments for equipment purchases of about $352,100.
Elementary students entering fourth grade will bring their iPads with them, and keyboard cases will be bought for them, saving about $25,000.
Student computers, iPads for first graders and Windows laptops for sixth and ninth graders, will be leased for three years at an annual cost of about $110,300, with 0% financing.
Bundling a student safety application into the district’s internet filter will save $6,000, while shifting spam filtering to Microsoft 365 will cost $13,500 less. A remote support tool will be shifted into Microsoft Teams, saving $1,280.
• The curriculum resources budget is about $223,000, down about $63,700. It includes the second payment of “Into Math K-5” at the elementary level, where the budget for electronic resources has increased. No purchases are budgeted for the middle school, while the only new high school textbook request is for French.
The school board is expected to vote on the proposed final budget at its May 5 meeting. It will review the final budget on June 2 and take a final vote to approve the budget on June 9.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
