Schoharie Central School District residents will vote on a $28.3 million proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year.
The fiscal plan has an overall increase of 2.35 percent – or $649,738 – from the current year. Under the fiscal plan, which will be voted on by district residents from noon to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, May 20, the tax levy would change by 2.95 percent. This is below the state mandated tax levy limit, or “tax cap,” and equates to $256,675 being spread out among all taxable parcels in the district. The tax levy is the overall amount raised throughout the entire district. The tax levy increase is in line with the current 2.95 percent inflation rate.
A 3.38 percent increase in overall New York State school aid over what was budgeted for in the current year will help allow the district to maintain student academic services and support, while limiting the overall local tax burden. State aid accounts for about 75 cents of every dollar spent by Schoharie CSD. Foundation Aid, the largest category of state aid, would increase by 2.66 percent.
Nearly 70 percent of the year-to-year increase in the budget is due to increases in employee benefits costs. The rest is due largely to a $204,531 increase in debt service payments.
Voters will also select three members of the Schoharie CSD Board of Education; decide on a school bus purchase proposition and weigh in on a proposition to support the Schoharie Free Library. Voting on May 20 will be held in the hallway outside of the Jr./Sr. High School gym, which can be accessed by the set of doors there.
Declining Enrollments
Student enrollment in New York State is at its lowest level since the early 1950s. Statewide, enrollment has dropped 11.9 percent since the 2011-12 school year, which was the last year there was an increase. In Schoharie County, school districts have lost nearly one in 10 of the students they had during the 2011-12 school year.
“The funding mechanism for the state is murky. We expect there to be continuing fiscal pressures on public schools in New York, particularly due to declining enrollments. We don’t know exactly where Albany will be when it comes to how it will disperse state aid to schools in the future,” Superintendent David M. Blanchard said. “We do know that we have to carefully watch our staffing levels to keep our programs sustainable.”
Schoharie CSD is proposing a reduction of three full-time teaching positions at the Elementary School; leaving a vacant administrator position unfilled; and reducing a business teacher in the Jr./Sr. High School, as well as a special education teacher in the Elementary School. These reductions are expected to come largely through attrition by not filling currently vacant positions or those that would be opened up through retirements.
A Focus on Family Engagement
While there are no new programs that would be created under the proposed budget, the district is planning on maintaining current programs and opportunities for students during the next school year. We will continue to look at improving family engagement through our Parent Engagement Committee and an ongoing strategic planning process. We know to be successful in our educational mission, there needs to be good communication between the classroom and home.
Tax Levy Limit
The Board of Education is choosing to present a budget with a 2.95 percent tax levy increase that is under the tax levy limit. State aid and operational efficiencies that are under constant review will allow Schoharie CSD to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students while keeping the tax levy change below the state-mandated limit. Because the district is proposing a budget that is under the tax levy limit, only a simple majority of voters – 50 percent plus one – is needed for it to pass. If approved, the budget would go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Board of Education Election
On May 20, residents will also vote to fill three seats on the Board of Education for three-year terms beginning July 1, 2025. The seats are currently held by Terry Burton, who is not seeking re-election, and Tara Barton and Daniel Guasp, who are running for re-election. Their terms expire June 30, 2025. Emily Gigandet is also running for one of the three seats.
Propositions
Schoharie CSD residents will be asked to vote on a proposition to increase the annual tax levy for the Schoharie Free Library Association from $146,000 to $161,000. A second proposition on the ballot will ask voters to consider authorizing the purchase of two 66-passenger buses, in an amount not to exceed $340,000. These would be standard buses and not electric buses.