Budget
Budget Process
Budget Planning & Approval Process
Following the presentation of potential budget reductions to the Town Council Finance Committee on April 30, there has been discussion of limiting school budget cuts to the approximately $1.7M amount achieved through Level 3 (as described in the Leadership Council's worksheet below). This amount, combined with reductions proposed to the Town budget, would create a new estimated tax rate increase of 2.91%, which is less than half of the original proposed increase (+5.97%) and below the current inflation rate, helping to address the Council's goal of minimizing the financial burden on taxpayers while ensuring that community programs and services are preserved.
Since April 30, school leaders have been working to refine the proposed list to ensure that cost estimates are accurate and up to date, and that the suggested cuts are as closely aligned with district goals and values as possible. Input from staff, parents and community members has been invaluable in these difficult conversations.
This revised list of potential reductions was shared with the School Board Finance Committee on May 12, and will be provided to the Town Council Finance Committee for further discussion at their next meeting, on May 14 at 5:00 pm.
- Leadership Council's proposed reductions - updated as of 5/12/2026
- School Budget process summary - 1st to 2nd reading
Please check out the "Schedule & Review Timeline" tab on this page for upcoming meetings and opportunities to participate in this important process.
After the Town Council's First Reading of the FY27 proposed municipal budget on April 1, 2026, the Town Council Finance Committee issued a request for both Town and School officials to provide scenarios showing the impact of potential reductions to achieve a 2% tax rate increase. The School Department's assigned portion of this reduction request was $2,189,028.
At the School Board Finance Committee's meeting on April 28, school leaders presented proposed reductions developed by the Leadership Council in response to this request:
This information was presented again to the Town Council Finance Committee on April 30, 2026, and will be part of their deliberations as they develop recommendations for the full Council's Second Reading and budget vote on May 20, 2026. The School Board will continue to follow this work as it progresses and has adjusted the timing of the Board's Second Reading from May 7 to a special meeting on May 19, to ensure it is responsive to the direction of the Council regarding the Education portion of the budget.
The public portion of the FY27 budget development process has begun with two in-depth School Board/ Leadership Council workshop sessions on March 11 and March 12, leading up to the School Board’s First Reading on March 19. Please take note of the budget process dates below - materials from each meeting will be posted as they become available - stay tuned!
Budget Materials for the Public
- Leadership Council’s FY27 School Budget Proposal (“the Budget Book”) - a comprehensive document describing current and projected school programs & services, and outlining the resources needed to support them.
- FY27 Budget Book Appendix - supplemental materials & resources
- FY27 Line Item Account Detail
To learn more about what is going on in our schools and departments this year, take a moment to watch these presentations from recent School Board meetings:
-
Eight Corners
- Pleasant Hill School
Schedule & Review Timeline
The following meeting dates comprise the 2027 Budget Review Timeline. School budget documents and meeting resources will be posted as they become available. Please see the Town website for Council Meeting materials.
| Date | Meeting | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, March 10 | School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Preview | 5:30 pm |
|
Wednesday, March 11 & Thursday, March 12 |
School Board/Leadership Council Workshops
|
4:30pm 8:30am |
| Tuesday, March 17 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review - POSTPONED |
5:30pm |
| Thursday, March 19 |
School Board Meeting - First Reading of FY27 Proposed School Budget |
7:00pm |
| Wednesday, April 1 | Town Council Meeting - Town/School Budget Presentation & First Reading of FY27 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
| Thursday, April 9 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review
|
5:30pm |
|
Monday, April 13 & |
Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review Workshops | TBD |
| Wednesday, April 15 | Town Council Meeting - Public Hearing on FY27 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
| Tuesday, April 28 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review |
5:30pm |
| Thursday, April 30 | Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review | 5:00pm |
| Thursday, April 30 |
School Board Meeting - Public Hearing on FY27 Proposed Budget |
7:00pm |
| May 4 - May 18 |
Conversations with Councilors -Budget Roundtables Multiple events throughout Scarborough and online, hosted by Town Councilors with School Board members attending. |
|
| Tuesday, May 12 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review |
5:30pm |
| Thursday, May 14 | Town Council Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Deliberations | 5:00pm |
|
Tuesday, May 19 (rescheduled from May 7 Board meeting) |
School Board Special Meeting - Virtual Only Second Reading & Budget Vote |
7:00pm |
| Wednesday, May 20 | Town Council Meeting - Second Reading & Budget Vote | 7:00pm |
| June 9, 2026 | School Budget Referendum Vote |
Budget Archive
Budget Archive
For information and resources related to previous year's budget information, view the dropdown below.
FY2026 Budget
Budget Planning and Approval Process
On Wednesday, May 7, 2025 the Town Council approved an amended budget proposal at their second reading, accepting the recommendations of the School Board and Town Council Finance Committee for updates to the Education portion of the Municipal budget. Please take a look at the information here to learn about the budget review process and the final approved version:
- Budget process worksheet - changes as of May 7, 2025
- Updated budget proposal - summaries & line item detail
The next step in the budget process is the School Budget Referendum Vote, which will be held on June 10, 2025, from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm at Scarborough High School. Early voting and absentee ballot information are available on the Town Elections web page.
The public portion of the FY26 budget development process has begun with two in-depth School Board/Leadership Council workshop sessions on March 18 and March 19, leading up to the School Board’s First Reading on March 20. Please take note of the budget process dates below - materials from each meeting will be posted as they become available - stay tuned!
Budget Materials for the Public
- Leadership Council’s FY26 School Budget Proposal (“the Budget Book”) - a comprehensive document describing current and projected school programs & services, and outlining the resources needed to support them.
- FY26 Budget Book Appendix - supplemental materials & resources
- FY26 Line Item Account Detail
- FY26 Budget Development Calendar - shows dates of all currently scheduled public meetings.
To learn more about what is going on in our schools and departments this year, take a moment to watch these great presentations from recent School Board meetings:
-
Blue Point School
-
Eight Corners
- Pleasant Hill School
| Date | Meeting | Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Tuesday, March 18 & |
School Board/Leadership Council Workshops
|
|
| Thursday, March 20 |
School Board Meeting - First Reading of FY26 Proposed School Budget |
7:00pm |
| Monday, March 24 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review
|
5:00pm |
| Wednesday, March 26 | Town Council Special Meeting - Town/School Budget Presentation | 6:00pm |
| Wednesday, April 2 | Town Council Meeting - First Reading of FY26 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
|
Monday, April 14 |
Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review Workshops | 8-12:00 |
| Monday, April 14 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review
|
5:00pm |
| Tuesday, April 15 | Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review Workshops | 8-12:00 |
| Wednesday, April 16 | Town Council Meeting - Public Hearing on FY26 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
| Thursday, April 17 |
School Board Meeting - Public Hearing on FY26 Proposed Budget |
7:00pm |
| Monday, April 28 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review
|
5:00pm |
| Thursday, May 1 |
School Board Meeting - Second Reading & Budget Vote |
7:00pm |
| Wednesday, May 7 | Town Council Meeting - Second Reading & Budget Vote | 7:00pm |
| June 10, 2025 | School Budget Referendum Vote |
Please see the Town website for Council Meeting materials: scarboroughmaine.org/government/town-council/council-meetings. School budget documents and meeting resources will be posted here throughout the process - stay tuned!
FY2025 Budget
SCARBOROUGH COMMUNITY - YOUR VOTE MATTERS!The School Budget Validation Referendum is on the ballot for approval. In person voting will be at the High School on Tuesday, June 11, from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Early voting and absentee ballots are available now at Town Hall.
Check out this quick summary:
FY25 Education Budget Highlights
Budget Planning and Approval Process
The public portion of the FY25 budget development process began with two in-depth School Board/Leadership Council workshop sessions on March 18 and March 19, leading up to the School Board’s First Reading on March 21. Please take note of the budget process dates below - materials from each meeting will be posted as they become available.
Budget Materials for the Public
- Leadership Council’s FY25 School Budget Proposal (“the Budget Book”) - a comprehensive document describing current and projected school programs & services, and outlining the resources needed to support them.
- FY25 Line Item Account Detail
- FY25 Budget Book Appendix - supplemental materials & resources
- FY25 Budget Development Calendar - shows dates of all currently scheduled public meetings.
| Date | Meeting | Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Monday, March 18 |
School Board/Leadership Council Workshops
|
|
| Thursday, March 21 |
School Board Meeting - First Reading of FY25 Proposed School Budget |
7:00pm |
| Monday March 25 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review
|
4:00pm |
| Wednesday, March 27 | Town Council Special Meeting - Town/School Budget Presentation | 7:00pm |
| Wednesday, April 3 | Joint Town Council/School Board Budget Workshop | 5:30pm |
| Wednesday, April 3 | Town Council Meeting - First Reading of FY25 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
| Thursday, April 11 | Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review Workshops | - |
| Friday, April 12 | Town Council Finance Committee Budget Review Workshops | - |
| Monday, April 22 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review |
4:00pm |
| Thursday, April 25 |
School Board Finance Committee Meeting - Budget Review |
12:00pm |
| Thursday, April 25 |
School Board Meeting - Public Hearing on FY25 Proposed Budget |
7:00pm |
| Wednesday, May 1 | Joint Town Council/School Board Budget Workshop | 5:30pm |
| Wednesday, May 1 | Town Council Meeting - Public Hearing on FY25 Proposed Municipal Budget | 7:00pm |
| Thursday, May 2 |
School Board Meeting - Second Reading & Budget Vote |
7:00pm |
| Wednesday, May 15 | Town Council Meeting - Second Reading & Budget Vote | 7:00pm |
| Thursday, May 16 |
School Board Meeting - budget adjustments as needed |
7:00pm |
| June 11, 2024 | School Budget Referendum Vote | - |
Please see the Town website for Council Meeting materials: scarboroughmaine.org/government/town-council/council-meetings. School budget documents and meeting resources will be posted here throughout the process - stay tuned!
FY2024 Budget
The FY24 School Budget proposal presented here is the product of many weeks of analysis, review, discussion and prioritization. The public portion of this year’s budget development process began with two School Board/Leadership Council workshop sessions on March 13 and March 15, leading up to the School Board’s First Reading on March 16. The full Municipal Budget was presented at a special Town Council meeting on March 29, and the Town Council's First Reading was held on May 3. On May 18, the School Board passed a revised and adjusted budget in second reading, and the Town Council approved the full Municipal budget on June 7.
THE SCHOOL BUDGET REFERENDUM IS ON TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2023
Voting will take place at Scarborough High School from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, and absentee ballots are currently available at Town Hall during regular business hours Monday - Thursday from 7AM - 5PM.
Budget Materials for the Public
- FY24 Budget Summaries & Line Item Account Detail - as approved by the School Board & Town Council
-
FY24 School Budget process worksheet - adjustments as of May 18 - School Board's FY24 Budget Proposal - adjusted & updated budget summaries
-
Leadership Council’s FY24 School Budget Proposal (“the Budget Book”) - a comprehensive document describing current and projected school programs & services, and outlining the resources needed to support them. - FY24 Line Item Account Detail
- FY24 Budget Book Appendix - supplemental materials & resources
- School Board/Leadership Council Workshops - slide deck of the in-depth budget presentations on March 13 & 15, 2023.
- FY24 Budget Development Calendar - shows dates of all currently scheduled public meetings.
- FY24 Budget FAQ
FY2023 Budget
The FY23 School Budget proposal presented here is the product of many weeks of analysis, review, discussion and prioritization. The public portion of this year’s budget development process began with two School Board/Leadership Council workshop sessions leading up to the School Board’s First Reading on March 17, the presentation of the full Municipal Budget on March 30, and the Town Council's first reading on April 6.
FY2023 History & Process
Since April 6, the Town Council and School Board Finance Committees have engaged in extensive review of the budget details. At their meeting on May 5, the School Board voted to amend their original budget proposal, making a net reduction of $234,837 to the General Fund (K-12 Operating) budget request and updating project priorities in the school Capital Budget. On May 18, the Town Council approved the full Municipal Budget, making an additional reduction of $98,500 to the school budget as part of a plan to meet the Council's goal of no more than a 3% increase to the tax rate. On May 19, the School Board voted to amend their budget proposal to allocate the $98,500 reduction. Details of the approved budget adjustments are provided below:
FY23 School Budget Amendment - approved at School Board meeting May 19, 2022.
FY23 School Budget Adjustments - approved at School Board Second reading May 5, 2022.
- Leadership Council’s FY23 School Budget Proposal (“the Budget Book”) - a comprehensive document describing current and projected school programs and services, and outlining the resources needed to support them.
- Budget Book Appendix - supplemental materials and line item account detail.
- COVID-related Federal Funding - summary & detail - see also Budget Book Executive Summary, pp. 6-8.
- School Board/Leadership Council Workshops - slide deck of the in-depth budget presentations on March 14 & 15, 2022.
- Budget Development Calendar - shows dates of all currently scheduled public meetings.
- Town Council Budget Order - first reading of FY23 Town/School budget passed April 6, 2022.
- School Budget Q&A
FY2023 Materials
Revised FY23 5-Year Capital Plan
At the request of the Town Council, the School Board has updated our FY23 Capital Budget documentation to include the preliminary estimated cost of the upcoming Primary School Building Project in the 5-Year Plan under FY24.
Details can be found here:
Please note that this revision does not change the approved School Capital Budget for FY23; the new information is provided for strategic planning purposes only. A refined and detailed Building Project budget will be developed over the next few months as needs analysis and design work continue, and updated information will be communicated throughout the FY24 budget process.
Learn more about the SPS Building Project
COVID-related Federal Grants
ARP ESSER Grant Funds
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous federal grants were made available to school districts in Maine, with varying allocations and application requirements. A comprehensive list of grants received by the Scarborough Schools is provided in the section below and in the FY23 budget book. As a specific requirement of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant (also known as ESSER 3), we are providing the public with supporting documentation here:
Scarborough Schools ESSER 3 Grant Application Summary - Revised (submitted November 2022)
Scarborough Schools ESSER 3 Grant Application (submitted September 2021)
Scarborough Schools ESSER 3 Grant Application Summary
Standard Operating Protocol for Investigating COVID cases in Maine Schools (Used as the basis for Scarborough's plan for safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services in the fall of 2021. The district plan for 2021-22 was presented at the School Board workshop on August 19, 2021, and approved by Board vote that evening.)
Discussion of the use of federal COVID-19 relief grants has been a part of the budget development process for FY22 and FY23, and these grants are included in our quarterly financial reports, found both on the Business Office web page and the School Board Finance Committee web page.
Town Budget Portal
Town Budget Portal
In an effort to better serve the community, the Town of Scarborough has created a page on the Town's web site to contain budget information for both the town and the school department. Please check this joint web page throughout the budget process for news, documents, important dates, and other information as it becomes available. Click the link below to visit the page.
Joint Town and School Budget Portal
For more information, please feel free to contact the Business Office at (207) 730-4100.