In 2000-2001, everybody s budget was growing across the board. Health care costs are projected to rise sharply again next year, although perhaps not as much as this year. Oil prices also have risen dramatically in the last year, and that is driving up the cost for heating and transportation. And special education continues to be a problem. William Mathis, superintendent for the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union, has done an analysis of some of the factors behind the recent school budget increases.
Special education is big contributor.
According to Mathis, special education absorbed 10 percent of the average school budget in 1990. For the coming year, it will be 18 percent of the average budget. Mathis estimates that about a third of the budget increases projected for next year can be attributed to the rising cost of special education. Health insurance premiums are up more than 14 percent. Mathis calculated that health care increases for next year would add about 1.3 percent to the average budget.