To accommodate the growing student population, Old Rochester Regional administrators are proposing a $17,269,114 budget, a 4.2 percent increase over the current budget.

Superintendent Doug White presented the budget draft to the ORR School Committee on Wednesday night.

The budget allows for several new positions at the junior high and high school, in part to reduce class sizes.

“I project us next year to be over 800 students,” said High School Principal Mike Devoll.

Devoll said he consider 700 to be an optimal number. Until recently, the school hovered  around 650 students plus school choice enrollment.

With more than 200 ninth graders expected next year and some classes already stretched, Devoll hopes to add a part-time English position, which would add two English sections. He also proposes a part-time physical education teacher and a part-time sign language position.

At the junior high level, Principal Kevin Brogioli would like to add two additional teachers and return the librarian position to full time.

White said the budget could be level funded at $17,032,148, a 2.8 percent increase, without those additions, but it would be at cost to education.

School Committee Chair James O’Brien supported the 4.2 percent increase.

“It just can’t be that level budget,” he said. “We as a committee have to speak to our various towns because they’re going to ask the tough questions.”

The school committee will present the budget to the public on March 3 but is scheduling a meeting tri-town selectmen to discuss it before that date.

“There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” said White.

Even by March 3, there are likely to be unanswered questions as the district waits on Gov. Charlie Baker’s budget.

“We don’t know how education is going to be supported,” White said.