Local school departments suffering greater than expected cuts in state subsidies are scrambling to fill the gap, superintendents said this week.

Other school departments, like Windham’s, are looking ahead to next year’s budget, unsure of how they are going handle significant cuts that officials say will require more than the usual budget trimming.

School Administrative District 61 will lose $581,844 in general purpose aid this year, and the Windham School Department will lose $407,340. Cuts in state subsidies are forcing school districts across Maine to freeze spending and cut back on field trips, staff development and purchasing supplies.

The state has already announced it will cut $27 million in general purpose aid to education, part of an executive order from Gov. John Baldacci to trim $80 million from the state budget. The state is facing a $150 million budget gap as a result of lower revenue projections because of the poor economy, as legislators returned to Augusta this week.

The cut to SAD 61, which operates schools in Bridgton, Casco, Naples and Sebago, makes up nearly 19 percent of the state’s share of the district’s costs – one of the highest cuts by percentage of aid in the state.

“The extent of the impact on our district was larger than we had anticipated,” said Superintendent Patrick Phillips, adding that it was the districts with high property values that were hit the hardest.

Phillips said the district will use savings and leftover money from recent renovation projects that came in under budget to cover around $181,000 of the budget shortfall. The remaining $400,000 will have to be cut from supplies, professional development and building maintenance.

“It doesn’t leave us any alternative to basically freezing the budget,” Phillips said, adding that layoffs were unlikely.

In Windham, Superintendent Sandy Prince has instituted a freeze on all non-essential spending. Due to the state cuts, Windham will receive $407,340 less in aid, which represents 2.9 percent of the department’s total state funding.

The spending freeze should cover the shortfall for this year, Prince said, adding that layoffs are also unlikely in Windham this school year.

“I don’t think at this point we’ll have to cut any positions,” he said.

But school committee members are bracing for tough times that they believe will last well into the next budget and school year.

Member Michael Duffy said this week that the committee believes that the school budget will have to increase $1.2 million next year “just to open the doors” in order to cover rising energy and personnel costs.

In addition, the school department has utilized its surplus over the last few years to lower the tax burden on residents, and that surplus will not be available in the next budget cycle.

Add in unforeseen costs that are sure to pop up during the budget process, and Duffy and committee member Kate Brix believe the deficit could come close to $2 million, they said this week.

It is a gap school officials would like to cover without raising taxes, and that means cuts, Duffy said.

“I don’t think this is the time to ask the people of Windham to add $3 or $4 to the tax rate,” he said.

Where at all possible, Brix said, the cuts should avoid core programs and course offerings. But with the size of the cuts to come, that probably means putting on the chopping block popular activities like athletics, where a pay-to-play plan could help cover costs, she said.

“We are going to have to look at things the community likes and thinks are important,” said Brix.

It would be a shame, Brix continued, if the school lost activities and elective courses because of budget cuts. It is exactly these offerings that give some kids a reason to be in school.

“Although some people say it is the fluff of the system, it’s what connects some students to it,” she said.

For School Administrative District 6, which operates schools in Buxton, Hollis, Limington and Standish, the recent state subsidy cut for the district was $562,224. Superintendent Suzanne Lukas said the cuts wouldn’t lead to layoffs.

Lukas said SAD 6 would be cutting some building maintenance and paving projects, placing a new telephone system on hold, freezing equipment purchases, and reducing money for supplies.

“If fuel prices stay down, that would be helpful,” Lukas said.

SAD 6 will also leave some grant-funded positions open, instead using the grant to fund similar existing positions.

“We’re concerned about any future cuts,” Lukas said.

State aid for the Raymond School Department is also falling this year, to the tune of $228,408, which is 2.6 percent of the total budget but 20 percent of the town’s state aid for education.

The Raymond School Board was scheduled to meet Wednesday night to begin discussing how to cover the shortfall, said Chairwoman Jeri Keane.

Superintendent Sandra Caldwell did not return calls seeking comment.