WRENTHAM - The King Philip Regional School District is being asked by the three district towns of Plainville, Wrentham and Norfolk to cut its proposed $3.8 million budget increase for the new fiscal year by $2.5 million.

That would leave an increase of just $1.3 million, and force the loss of 22 positions, Superintendent Richard Robbat told the school committee this week.

It would force up class sizes substantially at the middle and high schools, he said.

Robbat said an additional $1.9 million is needed just to meet "obligated increases" to the budget, such as employee contract increases and other fixed costs.

Another $1.3 million of the proposed budget increase is to maintain the same level of services, with only $500,000 for additional expenses, the superintendent said. The school committee previously had supported a recommended $25.1 million budget, which represents a $3.78 million or 17.7 percent hike over this year's $21.3 million in spending, and includes several new positions, including special education staff.

About $1 million would have to be sliced out of personnel costs, the superintendent said.

Of the 22 positions facing the ax, 8.5 are existing staff, nine are proposed positions and 4.4 are positions held by pending retirees that wouldn't be filled. The total includes 7.4 current positions at the high school and 5.5 existing positions at the middle school

"The cuts we have to make right now, we really are taking a step back," Robbat said. "As classes get larger, there is less personal attention, more disruption and more disciplinary issues."

One option being seriously considered is to dip into a reserve fund to cover the costs of eight staff, at a cost of $40,000 each for a total tab of about $320,000, leaving the loss of 14 positions.