The Mattapoisett School Committee will turn to town officials as they review increased service costs of over $130,000 for the 2013 school year.

The budget subcommittee will meet with the members of the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee Thursday, February 16 to discuss finalizing the budget proposal.

Until then, the details of the budget will not be disclosed, according to Superintendent Doug White.

On Monday, White and budget subcommittee members, presented a draft of the 2013 budget, which requests the increase to cover the rising costs of students attending vocational schools, special education programs, supply needs and contractual obligations.

Town officials have asked the subcommittee to draft a budget without the $130,250 increase.

“If these reductions were necessary, we’d have to make some tough decisions that would impact the classroom,” White said.  “We’ve come up with some scenarios but we don’t want to lay those out without having the conversation on Thursday.”

School Committee Chair Gracinda Knox said she was pleased with the budget.

“We are in a terrific position if you compare us to our sister schools,” Knox said. “Every year, somebody gets hit. Mattapoisett has had some tough years before. Unfortunately, Rochester Memorial School and Sippican School are getting hit this year.”

Of the $130,250 increase to the budget, special education services will see an increase of $50,000 in 2013.

The district is currently discussing changes to the special education agreement among  Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester.

The agreement states that each town is responsible for financing the special education services of a student in that town until the age of 22.

During a meeting on January 19, Joint School Committee member Sharon Hartley asked that each town school committee select members to form a subcommittee that would discuss the existing policy, and possibly, suggest an alternative.

“This would just be a conversation to take a look at how we are doing business,” White said.

Hartley suggested the towns consider pooling their resources so that when the need for special education services increases, all three towns take on the burden instead of one.

Knox said she had concerns about how the costs of special education services would affect Mattapoisett.

If the agreement is changed in favor of Hartley’s suggestion, Mattapoisett would have a higher cost per student than the town is currently paying, she said.

“What would be in the best benefit is to figure out the costs and how the funds would be appropriated fairly,” Knox said.

If the special education subcommittee did propose a change to the existing policy, all three towns would have to vote on the matter with a two-thirds majority needed to pass, White said.