Losing three teaching aides in the junior high and high school had teacher and union president Colin Everett asking the Old Rochester Regional School Committee to reconsider aspects of the budget.

The proposed $17,060,900 budget is a 1.2 percent increase or $206,300 over the current budget. The majority of those increases are due to personnel costs, said Superintendent Doug White.

“You end up going to personnel because it’s the majority of the budget,” he said.

If the budget is passed as is by the School Committee, the three towns will be asked to pay a total of $13,340,600. The costs are divided based on the population of students from each.

Marion’s assessment is $76,200 over the current budget and Rochester’s is $143,700. Mattapoisett will see a $104,700 decrease.

Offsetting the budget costs is almost $500,000 from out of district students in the school choice program as well as almost $3 million in state aid. That number, however, will not be solidified until May.

The budget also dips into the education and deficiency "rainy day" fund with $325,000.

Personnel cuts were also made to keep the budget increases at a minimum. Two teaching aides at the junior high and one at the high school are being cut. A language teacher will be cut to a part-time position as well. A groundskeeper position will also be removed.

Additionally, academic coordinators for each subject will be cut, but teachers in those positions will retain their jobs.

“We’re going to have to try to do business a little differently,” said White of the changes.

Everett, a social studies teacher and coordinator at the high school, asked the committee to find a way to keep the teacher’s aide positions, specifically at the junior high.

Everett suggested taking more from the excess and deficiency fund. He said as teachers’ shares of health insurance increase from 25 to 30 percent in the coming year, the rainy day fund could see growth.

“If the money can be used to address positions that will help students, I’d encourage the committee to look at that before making a vote,” said Everett.

He also suggested looking into retirement costs as the district currently assumes 50 percent of all retiree health costs. Everett said law changes allow a school district to bill other districts where an individual worked.

“One of the things you’ll find in this district is many people have come here to finish their careers,” he said. “If an individual worked for 25 years in Fall River, than Fall River should be paying for a significant portion of their retirement.”

White said he would look into the issue and the School Committee would take comments into consideration.

The School Committee is expected to vote on the budget at its meeting on Wednesday, March 12.