Horseheads Central School District board narrows 2025-26 budget choices; directs inclusion of summer learning, curriculum work and one assistant principal

The Horseheads Central School District Board of Education on April 10 reviewed a proposed 2025-26 budget that would reconfigure intervention staffing, reassign some teaching assistants and present the public with a levy option that ranges from a lower-impact plan to a higher-tax scenario depending on three added program priorities.

Board President Conklin opened the board’s budget meeting and turned the presentation over to Dr. Douglas, the district superintendent, who framed the discussion by saying the district is awaiting action on the New York state budget and that final state decisions will affect the district’s revenue picture. “We’re waiting on New York State. We’re waiting finalization of state budget by elected leaders,” Dr. Douglas said.

The administration proposed a manager-level expense increase of 3.22% while reporting district revenue growth of 1.68%. Dr. Douglas and finance staff said revenue projections reflect conservative assumptions about state aid and local assessment changes; the district previously began with a 3.68% target and reduced it to 3.22%, a change the administration described as roughly $477,000 of expense-side improvements.

Why it matters: the board must decide whether to include three discretionary additions — a Summer Learning Academy, curriculum work and up to three assistant principals — that would raise the local tax impact. The administration presented two broad levy…