Ellsworth, ME: "Increased special education costs"; $250,000 over budget

May 16, 2018, Ellsworth (ME) American: Special ed costs, minimum wage factors in RSU 25 budget increase https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/maine-news/education-news/special-ed-costs-minimum-wage-factors-in-rsu-25-budget-increase/ Increased special education costs and a higher minimum wage, among other factors, have led to a proposed 5.3 percent increase in next year’s Regional School Unit 25 (RSU 25) budget…. Boothby said the RSU is $250,000 over budget this current year because of special education. “These are high-needs students with high costs associated with them,” Boothby told the board. The RSU had anticipated 220 students receiving special education this year. However, another 23 enrolled after the year began. “That increase of 23 included students who came with higher additional costs than we were prepared for,” Boothby said. … RSU 25, which has an enrollment of more than 1,000 students, employs dozens of people.