A sharp rise in the cost of providing special education to Wareham's schools has contributed to officials asking for $963,331 more for 2015-16 than for this current school year.

Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood and district Business Manager Michael MacMillan presented their initial budget presentation to the school committee Wednesday evening, and among issues discussed was the rise in special education costs.

Other reasons officials cited for the 3.58 percent bump from $26,879,655 to $27,842,986 include increases in settled employment contracts, the addition of three full-time employees, and “the ongoing need for instructional programs, supplies and materials.”

The presentation prompted some Committee members to question the $364,853 extra budgeted for special education expenses.

“We’re literally going backwards,” said Committee Chair Clifford Sylvia. “I’m really, really dismayed at the cost of special education in this district. We have two alternative schools in this district, and yet, our special education outside placements are going to go up $360,000. For me, that makes no sense.”

Shaver-Hood and MacMillan cited an expected increase of seven students needing out of district education, which would cost $292,000.

“Different disabilities come to us,” said Shaver-Hood, naming a rise in the number of students with Asperger syndrome, autism, and students with significant behavior problems as some factors. “If you recall several years ago, there was a reduction in counseling services and student support.”

In Massachusetts, schools are required to provide an education to all qualified students, including those with special needs, whether the education is provided from within the district or elsewhere.

Committee member Geoff Swett questioned the validity of the East Wareham Partnership and Cooperative School, saying one of the schools was equipped to handle approximately 24 students, but which currently only had 14 or 15 students.

“Are they a luxury now? Not that they’re not good ideas in a theoretical sense,” he said. "The number of kids is so small . . . are we reviewing that now?”

The budget also included an increase in $630,000 in employee contractual obligations and $130,000 in additional staffing. For this school year and last, the budget had been flat, remaining at $26,879,655.

In June of 2014, voters rejected a Proposition 2 1/2 override that would have allowed the schools to increase the budget to fund several unmet needs and goals.

MacMillan also pointed to a large reduction in federal grants in recent years as being another key contributing factor to the increased budget. Shaver-Hood said the administrators are continuously applying for outside grants to support other needs of the district that due to financial constraints were left out.

“We’re writing more grants this year that probably have been written in many years here,” said Shaver-Hood. “But we can’t count on grant funding.”

Ultimately, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan, the School Committee, and voters at Spring Town Meeting in April will need to approve the budget before it can go into action. There will be an open hearing/budget presentation to the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen January 14.