Tough times are ahead for the Old Rochester Regional School Committee as it tries to fill a $1.1 million hole in the 2013 budget currently planned are 15 possible staff cuts and increased assessments to be paid by Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester.

Last month, Superintendent Doug White presented the 2013 budget proposal, which asked for an additional $495,000.

The costs are due to increased costs in special education services and contractual obligations.

Town officials have since asked the School Committee to maintain a level-funded budget.

To cover the increased costs, the School Committee would normally rely on surplus funds from the E and D account, which is excess money saved throughout the year. The district’s surplus funds will not be available in 2013.

During the February 8 meeting, White presented a modified draft of the budget that accounted for the lack of surplus funds with staff reductions at both the junior and senior high schools.

Should the budget be approved, the staffing cuts could include one building and groundskeeper, one custodian, one nurse, seven paraprofessionals, one high school English teacher, one high school special education teacher, one high school social studies teacher, one high school math teacher and a junior high school librarian.

White said the committee has contacted the staff members who might be affected by the budget.

The total savings from these cuts would average $434,000. This, White said, still leaves a near $600,000 need in revenue for the junior and senior high.

The committee will account for the majority of these funds with savings from services and programs reimbursements, but the rest will have to come from the towns.

Dr. Peter Bangs, School Committee Chair and budget subcommittee member,  said the situation is “devastating.”

“For us to do business like this year, we are required to ask the towns for additional funds,” Bangs said. “We don’t have the money.”

The Old Rochester Regional budget is supported by Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester.

Their assessments from the budget are divided among the towns individually based on the number of students enrolled at Old Rochester Regional from each town.

Increases to the assessments in 2013 will be $64,000 in Marion, $52,000 in Mattapoisett and $45,000 in Rochester.

The Committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on March 5.

The School Committee said it hopes anyone with concerns will voice their opinions.