WEST WARWICK — School Department administrators say they need $54 million in fiscal 2009 — a $4.6-million increase — to keep all programs running at current levels.

The proposed budget, for the year that begins July 1, was unveiled at the School Committee’s first budget workshop session, on Tuesday.

The board hopes to reduce the prospective dollar increase to $3 million — but not by reducing the administration’s figure. Rather, it is contemplating a lawsuit, called a Caruolo action, seeking $1.6 million more from the town for the current year. At a 4 p.m. meeting next Tuesday in the administration building, the board will decide whether to go forward with the suit.

The schools’ director of administration, Michael R. Petrarca, said the spending plan submitted to the board would restore nothing that was cut to balance this year’s budget.

That means, for one thing, that middle school sports would continue to rely on boosters and private fundraisers for their existence. And the district has no immediate plans to add any teacher’s assistants. Money for the sports program and a number of assistants was eliminated from the budget for this year.

Some contractual and fixed expenses will increase in the coming fiscal year. The budget plan includes $1.5 million in pay raises; $876,600 more in pension fund contributions, and a $674,200, or 7 percent, increase for the schools’ self-insurance program.

Some savings are anticipated.

Administrators hope to save $236,000 in tuition by providing services within the system for six special-needs students now educated outside the district. Also, local special-education programs now housed only in some schools would be extended to all of them, to eliminate an estimated $64,000 in transportation costs.

The School Department is in the final year of a three-year agreement with Hewlett-Packard under which it leases or buys computers at lower cost. The $92,000 line item for that program will not be in next year’s budget, according to Petrarca.

The School Committee’s next budget workshop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on April 10 at the Maisie E. Quinn Elementary School, 1 Brown St.

tbuford@projo.com