Vineyard public schools will see a full-time director hired for the English language learners program in the coming year, under a $5.8 million budget for the school superintendent.

The all-Island school committee voted 11-3 to approve the shared services budget for Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss last Thursday.

The budget, which also includes a last-minute addition of $25,000 for improvements to the regional high school, is up 7.4 per cent from last year.

A small amount of trimming was done from a draft budget presented this fall by the superintendent, whose budget covers a number of Islandwide elementary school programs from music instruction to special education. Among other things, a half-time teacher was eliminated for Project Headway, a preschool program for students with special needs.

“Looking at the number of students enrolled in the preschool program for next year and the additional half teacher we included last time, we don’t think will be necessary,” Mr. Weiss told the committee.

The $25,000 added for high school building maintenance followed a tour of the high school last week led by principal Gilbert Traverso.

Colleen McAndrews, representing Tisbury, made the motion to amend the budget and said walking through the high school opened her eyes to the urgent repairs needed.

“We have a responsibility as a school committee,” Mrs. McAndrews said. “The problem isn’t going to be going away.”

Committee members had mixed reactions.

“Are we all getting the same benefit?” Michael Marcus, representing West Tisbury, asked. “Your laundry list might be twice as long as ours. I would rather us tackle this individually on an ongoing basis.”

“I could almost vote for this,” Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd, also representing West Tisbury, said. “But first I want to see what I’m buying with my first $25,000.”

“I am in favor of putting in $25,000,” said chairman Susan Mercier. “There is still work to be done.”

In the end, the amendment passed 9-5, with Mr. Manter, Mr. Marcus, Theresa Manning, Katherine DeVane and Robert Lionette — all members of the up-Island district school committee — opposing the motion.

District specific costs show Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Tisbury and the up-Island districts will each pay a seven per cent increase over last year. The high school pays less of a portion because special education increases are only for students in the elementary schools. For fiscal year 2016, the high school will pay an increase of four per cent over last year.