TURNERS FALLS — The Franklin County Technical School Committee unanimously approved a draft $16 million budget for fiscal year 2026 last week, which, if approved at Annual Town Meetings, would constitute a 2.8% increase from the current year.

Superintendent Richard Martin delivered a presentation in the school’s cafeteria, where he outlined the draft budget’s line items as the first step in the approval process. He explained insurance costs are a major culprit behind the proposed hike.

“Insurance has gone up historically high,” he said. “So historically high, we have never seen it.”

Martin said costs last year increased 8% from the previous year, after having gone up 2% or 3% in each of the five years before that.

“And some of the years even before that had 0%,” he said. “So all of a sudden this year we go up … $200,000 — 18% to 20%.”

Martin said he has been told new medications on the market have contributed to the heightened costs.

“Those cost thousands of dollars,” he said.

If no figures are adjusted between now and Annual Town Meetings, the guidance counseling budget would jump from $423,990 to $450,670, a 6.29% increase. However, the total budget for School Choice tuition would decrease from $18,000 to $6,054.

In an interview, Martin explained that guidance staff are due for pay raises, which accounts for the 6.29% increase. He noted Franklin Tech uses an eight-step scale for staff salaries, compared to a 16-step scale that is used at other districts, meaning increases in staff salaries result in higher percent increases.

Franklin County Technical School, made up of 19 member towns, seeks a 5.5% assessment to the towns in the fiscal year 2026 budget. This is due in large part to enrollment growth and an increase in costs associated with vocational stock such as steel, copper, piping and coils. Martin said there are 617 students currently enrolled.

According to Franklin Tech’s budget book, the state underfunds regional transportation for the school by an average of $300,000 each year. That means it now needs to be funded through the operational budget and assessments to the towns.

School Committee Chair Richard Kuklewicz said he is satisfied with the draft budget and that Martin did well presenting the information.

“I think it’s higher than we’ve had in the past few years,” he said, “but we work hard to keep it in control.”

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120. Erin-Leigh Hoffman contributed reporting.