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Portsmouth NH Budget Independent civic transparency
FY27 Department Proposed

School Department

FY27 Proposed
$71,637,655
Change vs FY26
+$4,380,351
+6.51%
Share of Total Budget
45.4%

School Department

FY27 Proposed: $71,637,655 · Change vs FY26: +$4,380,351 (+6.51%) · Share of total budget: 45.3%

The City Manager’s recommended FY27 budget for the School Department is $71,637,655, an increase of $4,380,351 or 6.51% over FY26. School is the largest single line in the City’s budget at roughly 45% of the operating total.

The dominant driver is health insurance through SchoolCare, which jumps $2,751,313 or 26.20% — the largest single dollar increase in the entire FY27 budget. Teacher and administrator salaries rise $798,121 (2.85%) reflecting negotiated step and cost-of-living adjustments. Transportation rises $441,191 (19.91%) and workers’ compensation climbs $83,323 (56.28%). Offsetting these, the natural-gas line drops $33,300 (-8.43%) and non-teacher salaries decrease $263,413 due to position restructuring.

Top-10 spending categories

FY27 proposed allocation by line item, ranked.

Three-year trend

FY25 actual through FY27 proposed.

FY27 point shown as a diamond marker — it is proposed, not adopted.

Line items

Category FY25 Actual FY26 Budget FY27 Proposed
TEACHERS / ADMINISTRATORS $27,136,887 $27,971,676 $28,769,797 +$798,121 +2.85%
SALARIES $4,989,385 $5,644,960 $5,381,547 -$263,413 -4.67%
PART-TIME SALARIES $1,157,898 $1,036,646 $1,114,982 +$78,336 +7.56%
SCHOOL BOARD STIPENDS $13,545 $14,000 $14,000 $0 0.00%
OVERTIME $118,241 $70,760 $75,480 +$4,720 +6.67%
RETIREMENT $5,868,722 $6,105,162 $6,288,816 +$183,654 +3.01%
HEALTH INSURANCE $9,963,182 $10,501,194 $13,252,507 +$2,751,313 +26.20%
DENTAL INSURANCE $598,948 $637,874 $640,736 +$2,862 +0.45%
LEAVE AT TERMINATION $300,000 $250,000 $250,000 $0 0.00%
WORKERS' COMPENSATION $139,275 $148,047 $231,370 +$83,323 +56.28%
LIFE AND DISABILITY $199,825 $228,923 $233,503 +$4,580 +2.00%
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT $164,104 $305,110 $311,254 +$6,144 +2.01%
OTHER BENEFITS $2,524,777 $2,710,404 $2,754,931 +$44,527 +1.64%
Total Contractual Obligations subtotal $53,174,789 $55,624,756 $59,318,923 +$3,694,167 +6.64%
SPECIAL ED TUITION & SERVICES $3,590,508 $4,464,648 $4,503,419 +$38,771 +0.87%
TRANSPORTATION $2,035,868 $2,216,324 $2,657,515 +$441,191 +19.91%
TRANSFER FROM PARKING & TRANS -$50,000 -$50,000 -$50,000 $0 0.00%
CONTRACTED SERVICES $698,184 $757,280 $761,675 +$4,395 +0.58%
ELECTRICITY $972,556 $884,450 $876,650 -$7,800 -0.88%
NATURAL GAS $343,835 $395,224 $361,924 -$33,300 -8.43%
GASOLINE $10,176 $10,500 $12,000 +$1,500 +14.29%
STUDENT BOOKS / PERIODICALS $125,204 $140,001 $180,362 +$40,361 +28.83%
SOFTWARE/COMPUTER MAINTENANCE $278,042 $346,928 $362,748 +$15,820 +4.56%
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION DUES $54,458 $75,579 $76,849 +$1,270 +1.68%
PROPERTY & LIABILITY $158,932 $174,236 $187,448 +$13,212 +7.58%
OTHER OPERATING $2,668,415 $2,217,378 $2,388,142 +$170,764 +7.70%
Total Other Operating subtotal $10,886,176 $11,632,548 $12,318,732 +$686,184 +5.90%

Click the column headers to sort by $ change or % change. Subtotal rows stay at the bottom.

Related

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