At a special meeting on Tuesday, April 11, the Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to approve a $143.8 million FY 24 school budget to send to the Portland City Council according to a press release issued today.

The Board’s recommended budget builds off a theme of “Strengthening Academics, Behavioral  Health and Operational Systems.”  This theme summarizes the district’s three key priorities for the budget for the 2023-2024 school year:  maintaining the commitment to the Portland Promise goals of Achievment, whole Student and People –  all intertwined with the fourth central goal of Equity, being responsive to the needs of all students, especially those newly learning English, and improving operational effectiveness in such areas as finance and human resources.

The Boad’s FY 24 budget also is cognizant of Portland taxpayers.  The district recently learned it would receive additional $3.6 million in state edcation aid and would realize about $400,000. in savings from healh insurance rates that came in lower than andticipated.  The Board’s budget uses more than $1 million of those fnds to reduce the impact on local taxpayers, as compared to the school budget originally proposed March 14.