HAMDEN — Superintendent of Schools Frances M. Rabinowitz is seeking a 6.95 percent increase in school spending for 2008-09.

The proposed budget is $79.28 million, or $5.15 million over the current $74.13 million budget.

Of the proposed increase, $4.2 million, or 5.69 percent is nondiscretionary, meaning that it’s eaten up in salary and contractual increases, special education costs, utilities and transportation.

The remaining 1.26 percent of the proposed increase, or $934,207, is for discretionary spending, “what I really feel are the basics needed to strengthen reading, language arts and technology and to prepare kids for the 21st century,” Rabinowitz said Tuesday night.

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Rabinowitz said she originally was hoping for a lower percentage increase, given the town’s fiscal condition, but the numbers didn’t work out that way.

School board members said after the meeting they were pleased with the presentation, but didn’t know if the entire amount would be approved by them or later, by Mayor Craig B. Henrici or the Legislative Council.

“I think the superintendent put together a real and really necessary budget, but I don’t know how we can possibly fund it,” said board Secretary John Keegan. “The challenge will be to dig in to it and find out where we can make reductions and at the same time preserve the good ideas.”

Rabinowitz said the budget proposal, her first since becoming superintendent in September, allows what she wants to do from a curriculum and class size perspective. The proposal calls for 10 new teachers: a technology literacy specialist; three elementary teachers to keep class sizes at 20 in primary grades at Spring Glen, Ridge Hill and Dunbar Hill schools; two special education teachers; a speech pathologist; two elementary math specialists; and an English as a Second Language teacher. The budget called for two more special education aides and three technology support positions.

Had she not reduced requests from administrators, the budget would have been $5 million higher, she said.

The budget also includes $40,000 to buy “guided reading books” for grades three through six. “I want to encourage grouping in grades,” she said, explaining that at that age, not all children may be on the same level and some need extra help with reading.

She also wants to introduce Mandarin Chinese at Hamden High School. The town would share the costs with an outside organization.

The budget also calls for a state-funded school readiness program for 15 children ages 3 and 4 at Helen Street School. It also supports unfunded mandates. Rabinowitz said she will use existing staff to cover state law dealing with in-school suspensions.

Her goal is to keep class sizes no higher than 20 in kindergarten through grade two and no more than 25 in other grades. If the budget were to be cut, Rabinowitz said she would look to other areas before adding to class sizes.

Raises of about 3 percent for the superintendent, assistant superintendent and other nonunion employees are reserved in the budget, but Rabinowitz said not everyone may receive that amount.