District overview
West Bath School Administrative Unit
How West Bath's one-school district is funded, who runs it, and what is underway.
Who pays for West Bath's schools?
West Bath runs one school, West Bath School (Pre-K through grade 5). For grades 6-12, the town pays tuition so students can attend other schools, mostly in RSU 1 (Bath Middle School and Morse High School). West Bath left RSU 1 and now has a tuition agreement that sends at least 75% of its 6-12 students there; up to 25% may choose another approved school. The 2026-27 budget is $5,192,747. State aid covers only $437,560, so West Bath taxpayers pay $4,755,187. Voters approve the budget at the annual town meeting.
$5.19M budget for 2026-27, up 6.16%
Approved by the board 4-0 on April 6, 2026, and sent to the May 4, 2026 town meeting.
Tuition is the biggest cost
Regular tuition for grades 6-12 is $1,743,646, about one-third of the budget. It changes with RSU 1's rates and how many students enroll.
Special education is the fastest-growing cost
Special education instruction is $908,027 (up 15%) and special education tuition is $201,927 (up 78%).
Small state share
State subsidy is $437,560 (about 8%); no money from past years' surplus was used because recent audits were not finished.
A large local share does not by itself mean the school is overspending. Through 2025-26 the budget tracked as planned, except for building maintenance repairs and, in fall 2026, bus fuel.
Where the district stands
Calculation: $5,192,747 / 115. Misleading on its own: the budget also pays tuition for grades 6-12 students who attend other schools, so it covers far more than the 115 students in the building.
Major projects
Taking over preschool special education
in progressWest Bath now provides special education (FAPE) for 4-year-olds instead of the state's CDS program. It will decide later about 3-year-olds, which all districts must cover by 2027-28.
- Superintendent starts readiness review
- Board votes 5-0 to serve 4-year-olds from 2026-27
- First IEP meetings for 4-year-olds
- Preschool enrollment reported at 17
Funding
State reimbursement for services; added administrative costs paid locally
Playground fence
completedThe board put the fence out to bid in May 2026, awarded it to CA Newcomb and Sons in June, and it was installed over the summer.
- Request for bids approved
- Contract awarded to CA Newcomb and Sons
- Fence reported installed
Funding
Town (Board of Selectmen) warrant article, outside the school budget
Bus transportation contract
under considerationBus fuel is running over the plan for 2026-27. A November 2, 2026 special meeting will vote on a transportation contract and on seeking new transportation bids, after a closed session on legal rights and duties.
- Transportation line held flat at $195,634.96
- Fuel allowance nearly used up
- Special meeting: contract and RFP votes (scheduled)
Funding
School budget transportation line (2026-27, unchanged)
Special education staffing
stalledThe school could not hire a school psychologist and contracted one instead. A half-time special education director job has had no applicants.
- School psychologist job approved
- Candidate declined; talks with RSU 1 on sharing
- Contractor hired; director job still vacant
Funding
2026-27 budget (half-time special education director included)
Recent news
View the news feed →Resources
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Collected from the board meetings page on westbathschool.org (agendas and minutes, November 2025 through the November 2, 2026 special-meeting agenda), the board's YouTube livestream channel (9 meeting recordings with auto-generated captions), the 2025-26 handbook, student computer-use policy and the 2026-27 calendar. 34 documents were read in full.
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