The All-Island school committee voted to certify a $5.9 million superintendent’s shared services budget early this week.

The final budget is a 2.35 per cent increase over last year. Salaries and fixed expenses make up 89 per cent of the budget while other expenses make up 11 per cent.

“This budget really addresses the needs around our preschool aged children, our children across the Island who have some real special needs — and then of course all the nuts and bolts around payroll and health benefits and the central office,” Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. Matthew D’Andrea said at the committee meeting Monday night.

The superintendent’s budget pays for services shared among public schools on the Island, including services for special needs children and Project Headway, the Island’s only public preschool.

Mr. D’Andrea said one of the biggest, uncontrollable increases involves contractual increases for education support professionals, all of whom will receive a five per cent raise next year.

The Bridge program, which provides education services for students with intensive special needs, went up 16 per cent, also partly due to contract obligations.

To save money on technology and facility needs, the superintendent’s office will be using the high school technology and facilities manager in the coming year.

Committee member Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd asked the committee to consider reworking the way town assessments are decided under the school choice program. The issue will be a topic for discussion at the next all-Island school committee meeting.

Prior to the all-Island meeting, the regional high school committee met and approved $350,000 to be spent on short-term HVAC solutions at the high school, which is undergoing a facilities needs assessment. While the entire HVAC system needs an overhaul that could cost up to $4.5 million, school administrators said immediate work needs to be done to keep the system functioning. Mr. D’Andrea said short-term solutions include improving air exchange in the building and better controlling the heat.

“There are 53 unit ventilators in the building, each one needs to be adjusted and looked at,” said facilities manager Michael Taus. “I’m estimating six to eight are going to have to be replaced. I might get lucky.”

Mr. Taus said the short-term solutions will last three to five years though minor adjustments may be necessary.

For the repairs, $250,000 came from capital needs fund while $100,000 was transferred from a budget line for shingle repairs. Mr. Taus assured the committee there is no significant portion of the building that needs immediate shingling repair.

A budget hearing and facilities update is planned for Nov. 30 in the school performing arts center at 7 p.m. Members of the public are urged to attend.