GORHAM – The Gorham School Committee has unanimously backed a $32.9 million school budget, minus an all-day kindergarten program advocated by a parents group.

“We are of course disappointed that the School Committee is still unable to find the funds to start the implementation of an all-day kindergarten option,” a parent, Kelli Deveaux, said on Tuesday.

Kyle Currier, School Committee chairwoman, announced last week before the vote that the budget did not include all-day kindergarten, as the committee is investing money to upgrade security in the town’s five schools.

“That’s our priority,” Currier said.

“It’s crucial to protect over 3,000 people in our buildings,” School Committee member Dennis Libby said.

The budget hikes the amount local taxpayers would pay to support Gorham schools by $1.3 million, from the $13.7 million for the present year to $15 million.

The budget to support schools would increase the local tax rate per $1,000 of valuation by 93 cents. Based on a total evaluation projection for Gorham, taxes on a home valued at $200,000 would increase $186.

The $32.9 million spending plan represents a $702,799 increase over this year’s $32.2 million.

Superintendent Ted Sharp is expected to deliver the school budget to Town Manager David Cole on Monday, April 22. The budget now requires Town Council approval and goes to voters in a referendum on Tuesday, June 11.

Last year, Gorham voters approved the budget without all-day kindergarten, despite a plea from concerned parents to reject it.

Gorham has a half-day kindergarten now. Currier said expanding the program to all day would be a priority next year.

“It’s moving to the next stage,” Currier said.

Last month, the Exploratory Committee on All Day Kindergarten recommended not to implement the program based on costs. The committee reported last month that implementation would cost $555,159.

Gorham has three elementary schools and had170 kindergarten students last October, according to school department figures. Currier said there’s no “downside” to the all-day program except for the finances.

The amount allocated in the budget for security improvements at schools could not be verified this week, as Hollis Cobb, school finance officer, and Sharp were both unavailable during school vacation week.

The School Committee also felt time to implement the all-day program would be a factor this year. Darryl Wright, committee vice chairman, said he didn’t think all-day kindergarten could be implemented in three months.

“I don’t think that’s realistic,” Wright said, advocating an implementation committee be appointed.

“We also reject the argument that time is needed to develop a quality program, as we were told by Superintendent Sharp that it was ‘shelf ready’ a year and half ago,” Deveaux said. “The current curriculum is designed for longer school days, and the committee allocated more summer curriculum money during the same evening they rejected the addition of all-day kindergarten in the budget.”

School Committee member Tim Burns said he’s a proponent of the all-day program and said the board has a plan “to get there.”

“I feel strongly making it a priority next year,” School Committee member Sara Nelson said.

While the committee said all-day kindergarten would be a priority next year, it’s a promise that the board might not be able to keep. Terms of three of its members – Roger Marchand, Kathy Garrard and Currier – are expiring this fall.

Libby said the budget the School Committee approved represents one of the largest increases in a decade.

“This has been an extremely difficult budget,” Libby said.