The Sewanhaka school board voted to adopt a $278,105,783 budget for 2026/2027 at its Tuesday, April 21,meeting.
The budget is $13,890,988 (5.26%) higher than last year’s. Administrators said the budget includes a 1.68% increase over last year’s tax levy. The vote will be held on May 19.
By comparing the budget to New York State Department of Education data showing the district had 7,728 students in 2025, the district is planning to spend almost $36,000 per student.
Superintendent Regina Agrusa said contractual salary increases are the primary cause for the 4.66% increase in the administrative budget. She said the program budget’s 5.62% increase is largely due to general cost increases in several categories, such as transportation, as well as a $3.9 million increase in special education spending. She said the program budget is the largest portion of the district’s budget.
“What drives the program part of this budget is some of these expenses. Special education services have increased to meet the needs of our students with either in-district or out-of-district placement,” she said, while employee contractual benefits have also risen.
Assistance Superintendent for Finance and Operations Kevin O’Brien said the district expects to receive over $82 million in state aid, an increase over last year.
The New York State Legislature is still negotiating its budget, and lawmakers just passed theirsixth budget deadline extensionsince April 1. Therefore, total state aid for each local school district is not yet finalized.
Agrusa said voters will be offered a proposition to expend money from the district’s 2025 capital reserve fund.
“This capital reserve will be used for the installation of air conditioning in our five high school auditoriums,” Agrusa said. She said the funds will also go toward a counseling officerenovation in H. Frank Carey High School, and furniture updates in all five high school cafeterias.
She said the reserve, which has a 10-year timeline, comes at no additional cost to taxpayers.
Source: LI Press
