A $16.4 million Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School budget for 2009, a 1.7 per cent increase on the previous year, was certified by the high school committee Monday in a 9-1 vote.

The budget cuts five and two fifths positions at the high school, in English and math, assistant in special education, custodial and driver’s education. Additionally, Mr. Nixon eliminated two fifths of a bus driving position.

Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter Oak Bluffs was the sole dissenting voice on the committee and cited a long-term gripe he has with the school’s use of excess and deficiency funds to finance projects after the budget cycle and toward the end of the school year.

The final budget reflects more than two months of cutting by high school principal Stephen Nixon. In September he presented the school budget subcommittee with a budget six per cent over last year, and with single position cut in the English department.

Since then Mr. Nixon revised the budget and introduced the math position cut. Both the positions are one-year contracts which will not be renewed next year.

Meanwhile, Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss received letters calling for zero per cent increase in school budgets from Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and West Tisbury.

Reacting to sustained pressure from town finance committees and a clamorous meeting between the two school leaders and more than a dozen finance committee members at the high school last month, Mr. Nixon made still more cuts, including the other three and two fifths positions.

Other cuts to the budget include a $17,500 air transport budget for sports teams.

Explaining the remaining budget increase, Mr. Nixon has pointed to mandates relating to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and to union negotiated pay increases for staff.

A new position will be created next year to handle personalized education plans for students whose results placed them in the MCAS needs improvement category.

From here the budget will go to a vote at spring annual town meetings. Votes of approval are required from at least four of the six towns for the budget to pass. The high school budget will make up the largest piece of approximately $40 million in Island public school costs.