Harlem board adopts FY‑26 tentative budget, schedules public hearing Sept. 22

The Harlem Consolidated School District Board of Education on Aug. 18 approved a tentative FY‑26 budget and set a public hearing for 5:40 p.m. Sept. 22, putting the district’s spending plan on public display while staff refine projections. Why it matters: district staff said revenue uncertainty — notably a substantial multi‑year decline in Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT) receipts — paired with sharply higher medical‑insurance claims, is straining the general (Education) fund and underscores the district’s capital funding shortfall. Key figures: business and operations staff reported payables this period of $3,829,927.59 and three payrolls totaling $10,433,761.12 for total expenditures of $14,263,688.71. The Education Fund paid $11,229,366.34 of that total; Operations & Maintenance $651,744.42; Transportation $519,428.52; Capital Projects $608,613.58; and Life Safety $884,066.22. The district’s CPPRT receipts were reported at about $3,700,000 this year, a roughly 34% decline from prior levels, and evidence‑based funding provided roughly $644,000 more than previously projected. Health‑care costs and recent months: Josh Schranen, business and operations, told the board that medical insurance reflected an unusually large run of claims across July–August; staff reallocated stop‑loss receipts and adjusted the FY‑26 projection. Schranen said medical insurance accounts for the largest single increase in benefit costs — he cited a change from 13.3% to 16.4% on a presentation line, representing roughly $3.1 million of additional costs in the projection period. Capital and transportation notes: transportation reported an unusually strong year for bus sales ($810,000) but said state reimbursement rules require the state to reclaim about 70% of proceeds for funding calculation purposes. Staff proposed a one‑time transfer of $350,000 from Transportation to the Education Fund to help offset a large one‑time purchase of student workbooks and materials this year. Next steps: the tentative budget will be on public display through Sept. 22, the board will hold a public hearing that evening at 5:40 p.m., and the board aims to adopt a final FY‑26 budget at its September meeting. Staff said they will continue to refine health‑insurance estimates and other revenue projections prior to final adoption.