The Syosset Board of Education reviewed the district’s developing 2026–27 budget, major construction projects and instructional initiatives during its Monday, March 9, board meeting.
While the total budget for the 2026-2027 school year will be finalized later this spring, the board adopted a $285 million budget for the 2025-2026 school year. The Syosset school district budget covers 10 schools and 7,200 students.
Associate Superintendent for Business Patricia Rufo presented the district’s second budget update of the year, explaining that health insurance remains one of the highest costs in the proposed spending plan.
The district is projecting a nearly 10% increase in health insurance premiums, contributing to an estimated $4.6 million increase in overall benefits costs for next year. Rufo said those costs remain “challenging to predict” because insurance providers sometimes use reserves that temporarily lower rates before increases occur.
Overall, benefits costs are expected to increase by nearly 6%. Rufo said changes in retirement system contributions will partially offset those increases, as employer contribution rates for the Teachers’ Retirement System have declined while rates for the Employees’ Retirement System are expected to increase.
Rufo said the district expects to use approximately $5 million from its ERS reserve and $3 million from its TRS reserve as part of next year’s budget plan.
“The reserves are there to help us buffer the tax levy when we have material increases like we are seeing with ERS,” Rufo said.
The district’s instructional program budget, which represents nearly three-quarters of total spending, is projected to increase by about $3 million, largely due to contractual salary and staffing adjustments.
Transportation services are also undergoing changes as the district begins expanding its in-house transportation operations. The district has begun budgeting for new driver positions and vehicle operations as it develops its own bus fleet.
Rufo said the goal is to ensure the district is using its transportation resources efficiently across multiple services.
Source: LI Press
