Hyde Park board reviews preliminary 2025–26 budget, administrative requests and timeline

Hyde Park Central School District officials presented a preliminary overview of the 2025–26 budget to the Board of Education on Feb. 13 at Violet Avenue Elementary School, outlining revenue assumptions, key cost drivers and a list of administrator requests the district will prioritize before a final proposal is brought to the board in April.

The presentation by Dr. Roman and finance staff summarized the district’s assumptions: the presentation used the governor’s proposal for state aid (about $45,700,000 in the presentation), an estimated tax‑cap scenario (the draft slide showed roughly a 2.7 percent cap if the board chose to use it), and an assumed 8 percent increase in health‑insurance rates for planning. Dr. Roman described the framing for the budget as “making sure that we continue to have our programs and services follow the needs of the students,” and staff emphasized the need to align requests with the district strategic plan.

Why it matters: district officials said the single largest drivers include employee benefits (health insurance), BOCES services (the presentation noted the district pays about $11 million annually to BOCES functions), and debt service. Staff warned the final tax‑cap calculation will depend on finalized debt service figures, pilot agreements and the state budget. The district also noted it currently receives more than $700,000 a year in PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) revenue that factors into revenue planning.

Key budget details presented - Revenues: the presentation used the governor’s proposed state aid numbers for planning; staff cautioned the Legislature could change those numbers before April 1. The district noted interest income from invested tax receipts and pilot revenues as recurring lines. Fund balance use is an open decision to balance the preliminary gap. - Expenditures: staff reported savings identified in supply and equipment codes (for example, lower fuel and equipment needs) but said employee benefits would increase by more than $2 million, mostly for health insurance. - Health insurance: the district is planning for higher rates and flagged uncertainty about whether DHIC (the district’s health insurance consortium) will continue its prior year “health insurance holiday.”

Administrator requests and prioritization Finance staff and administrators presented a list of administrator requests and said they will prioritize them using a matrix aligned to the district’s strategic plan and available funding. The presentation listed nonbinding, preliminary asks that together would cost up to $163,000 if everything were accepted. Sample requests included wrestling mats and a scoreboard for FDR athletics; 17 digital pianos (the fine and performing arts director identified $20,000 of existing savings to offset part of that cost); routing software for transportation (presented as a cost-saving replacement for a tablets line); moving student supplies from an expired federal stimulus grant into the general fund; several stipend requests (PBIS, MTSS, AIM High advisors, auto‑mechanics adviser); staffing adjustments being considered (converting a halftime groundskeeper to full time, adding a part‑time custodian tied to a UPK tenant agreement, requests for two full‑time LPNs across elementary schools, and other position changes); and a request to repurpose some vacant TA positions into AIS (Academic Intervention Services) math teacher roles.

Staff stressed that the current preliminary budget slides do not yet include any selected administrator requests: “The budget we’re showing you tonight does not have any of the administrator requests in it yet,” Finance staff said. They said some non‑salary items might be purchased in the current year if one‑time funds are available, and other requests could be repurposed into grants or BOCES‑delivered services.

Retirements and staffing notes The presentation also included expected retirements. Staff said the retirements typically create payroll step savings when replacements are hired at lower steps, and that they will show updated budget impacts at the next meeting once all retirements are finalized.

Timeline and next steps Staff laid out the budget calendar and regulatory deadlines: the district must file tax‑cap information by March 1, expects more finalized revenue and insurance figures by March 27, will continue budget development in April, and scheduled the public hearing for May 8 with the budget vote slated for May 20 at Haviland Middle School. Staff warned that the state legislative budget, due April 1, could alter key assumptions and that some numbers (including DHIC rates and final BOCES invoices) will be finalized later in the process.

Board members asked for clearer breakout of people versus non‑people expenses in backup materials, more documentation explaining rationale for stipends and other recurring requests, and a clear articulation of how literacy and ELA needs will be addressed alongside other priorities. Dr. Roman and Deputy Superintendent Jessica Turner said the district is convening a literacy‑innovation committee and will return with cost estimates and a multi‑year plan after vendor reviews and resource selection.

Ending: staff said the next budget presentation will include a detailed tax‑cap calculation and recommended items drawn from the administrator request prioritization.