The Manhasset Board of Education introduced a $90,368,163 budget for the 2015-16 school year on Saturday that represents a 2.77 percent increase in spending – or $2,435,013 – than the $87.9 million in expenditures approved last year.

Superintendent of Schools Charles Cardillo said the budget falls within the district’s 2.6 percent allowable tax levy cap with projected state aid. 

Administrators did not further disclose projected tax or revenue information.

The proposed budget represents a seven-year tax cap average increase of 1.9 percent and 1.7 percent spending increase, while enrollment has increased 7.5 percent during that span, officials said.

The budget includes the hiring of 12 teachers and the implementation of several new courses at the elementary and secondary levels to meet student demand and enrollment projections in future years, officials said.

“It’s a commitment that we make to our youngsters to constantly analyze what we are doing,” Cardillo said.

The Manhasset School District has approximately 3,300 students enrolled at Munsey Park Elementary School, Shelter Rock Elementary School and the Manhasset Secondary School, which houses Manhasset Middle School and Manhasset High School. 

To meet increased demand at the middle and high school, officials said the district plans to add sections of English 9R, English 10R, English 11R, Global 9R, Global 10R, U.S. History 11R, Living Environment, Earth Science, Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry. 

In addition, Manhasset projects to add elective courses in Advanced Creative Writing, Journalism, Latin I, Mandarin Chinese I, Multivariable Calculus, advanced placement-level Computer Science and Accounting, advanced placement-level Studio Art, Architectural Drawing, Drawing, Electronic Keyboarding, Introduction to Business, advanced placement-level Environmental Science, Forensics, Criminal Civil Law and Introduction to Psychology.

The district also plans to restructure its middle school primary courses to align with Common Core initiatives by implementing a “co-teaching” program that would include regular education teachers and special education teachers, as well as additional English as a new language teachers at the elementary and secondary level to accommodate new state regulations. 

Not all of the new courses and changes would require hiring teachers, Cardillo said, as current educators may take on additional classes at varying levels.

Cardillo said 2015-16 would mark the first time since he joined the district in 2005-06 that Manhasset has sought to add courses.

He said the additions to next year’s curriculum are part of the “rallying, rebuilding and restoring” of Manhasset’s academic programs after the district was “hammered” with cuts during a 2013-14 budgetary process in which the district unsuccessfully tried to breach the state-mandated tax cap and cut teachers, courses and after-school activities. 

“Last year, we were in a better place, but we’re still not in the place that we need,” he said.

Clubs and athletics, he said, would remain unchanged from the 2014-15 school year. 

Additional budget sessions have been scheduled on March 12 at 8 p.m. at Munsey Park Elementary School and March 26 at 8 p.m. at Shelter Rock Elementary School. Cardillo said an additional budget meeting may be scheduled after March 30, when the state releases its aid information.

The board plans to vote to adopt the budget during its April 15 meeting. Manhasset voters will decide whether to approve the budget on May 19.