WRENTHAM - While King Philip Regional school officials hope to have a budget that preserves existing programs for the upcoming fiscal year, they have been advised a budget with no increase is the likely scenario.

A strong turnout of about 50 residents, school and town officials attended the annual public hearing on the budget Saturday morning.

Superintendent Richard Robbat presented a $24.35 million spending plan that represents a $1 million or 4.5 percent jump from this year.

Such a budget would meet special education and contractual obligations as well as maintain class sizes and staffing levels. Some $155,000 is also set aside to update technology at the high school.

A budget funded at this year's level would mean the loss of about 25 teachers, Robbat warned. The district has 106. "Our current budget is so limited, right now we really have no choice but to go to personnel" to cut spending, Robbat said.

Plainville Selectman Rob Rose pointed out the assessments to the towns usually go up about double what the KP budget increase is. "I think that is significant," Rose said.

State aid to cities and towns is being slashed, but state educational aid is being frozen - for KP at $7.5 million.

Norfolk Town Administrator Jack Hathaway said if all departments are level funded in Norfolk's budget, it still will find itself a projected $177,000 in the hole.

"I think realistically you can expect Norfolk to only fund a zero percent" increase, Norfolk Selectmen Chairman Ramesh Advani said, recommending school officials look at wage freezes and changes in health insurance. "You're going to see a drop in services."

A new teachers contract is being negotiated, and a new custodial contract has no raise, school committee Chairman Patrick Francomano replied.

"We are aware the towns don't have the financial capability to fund much," Robbat said.

Emphasizing he was not speaking for the school committee, the superintendent added: "We know the level service budget likely will not be funded."

School and town officials are also holding out hope the federal stimulas package will bring some revenue.

For this budget year, seven teachers were lost, which has led to increased class sizes and the elimination of electives, Robbat pointed out. Increased enrollment, mostly at the high school, compounds the problem. "The range of courses at the high school has been cut quite a bit," he said. Rose questioned if more students are going to King Philip instead of private schools because of the economy. "We do have some students coming back," Robbat said, adding of upcoming school years, "We don't know what is going to happen because of the economy."

Returning more special education students from costly out-of-district programs to in-house programs has kept a lid on special ed costs that run about 22 percent of the budget, the superintendent said.

The school committee is scheduled to vote on the budget Feb. 9.

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.