HAMPDEN – SAD 22 residents on Thursday unanimously approved a $21.1 million school budget that is 6.9 percent higher than the current one and reflects increases in salaries and benefits as well as the costs of health insurance, fuel, utilities, electricity and transportation.

Endorsed by the board of directors in April, the 2006-2007 budget presented during the districtwide meeting at Hampden Academy on Thursday also calls for hiring more reading teachers and educational technicians, expanding a nursing position, and purchasing used laptop computers.

A referendum will be held Tuesday, June 13, to confirm Thursday’s initial decision. Also at that time, voters will be asked whether they want to continue the referendum validation process started three years ago. A “no” vote means the district would revert to its previous format, which involves a district budget meeting but no referendum to confirm the vote that occurred there.

The board of directors has endorsed the continuation of the budget validation process, Superintendent Rick Lyons told the approximately 60 residents who attended the meeting.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hampden municipal building, the Newburgh town office and Wagner Middle School in Winterport. Absentee ballots are available today, Monday and Tuesday.

During Thursday’s meeting, Jim Shue of Hampden asked the board to “seriously consider” reinstating the art program for kindergarten and grade one pupils next year. He said a half-time teaching position would cost “a mere $27,000” and that it would be money well spent since art is a “confidence builder” that helps pupils do better academically.

Also during the meeting, Dan Gouvea of Winterport said that two-thirds of the classes at Hampden Academy have fewer than 15 students. “Are so many small classes necessary?” he asked. “Could we benefit by some kind of consolidation?”

But Lyons pointed out that the state restricts the student-teacher ratio in science and Advanced Placement classes.

The newly approved budget calls for the state to contribute $12.9 million, an increase of $942,313 over the previous year, Assistant Superintendent Emil Genest told residents. That’s about 50 percent of the amount that the district received from the state for the current budget. The state’s share has decreased because the district’s valuation is higher than average and because enrollment is down slightly.

Because of the decreased amount from the state, the local share of $7.7 million must include $1.1 million more than what the education funding formula says the district should pay. The extra funding is necessary to provide the comprehensive program that the formula doesn’t identify, officials said.

Based on the new plan, Hampden would contribute $4,890,061 – a 7.7 percent increase over its current assessment – while Newburgh’s share would be $820,902 – an 11.64 percent increase. Winterport’s assessment would be $2,066,505 – a 3 percent decrease.

The budget calls for, among other things:

. Adding two half-time reading teachers at McGraw School in Hampden and at Newburgh Elementary School.

. Hiring four educational technicians to work with pupils with special needs at Smith School in Winterport and at Weatherbee School and Reeds Brook Middle School, both in Hampden.

. Expanding to full time a school nurse position for the elementary grades and a sixth-grade teaching position at Reeds Brook.