Board hears $373.8 million preliminary 2025–26 budget; district outlines capital propositions and funding uncertainties

The Newburgh City School District on April 8 presented an updated draft of the 2025–26 budget that shows roughly $373.8 million in planned spending and a year‑over‑year increase of about $14.8 million, district finance staff said.

Acting superintendent Dr. Baughn and Assistant Superintendent for Finance Ms. Roaring described the budget as a work in progress: revenue and expense projections are aligned in the current draft, but the district said it is waiting on final state aid numbers and possible federal funding changes that could materially affect next year—unding.

Key points from the presentation

- Draft total: Ms. Roaring presented a draft 2025–26 budget in the range of $373.8 million and said the figure reflects a $14.8 million increase from the prior year. The district later displayed $373,850,000 on a revenue slide; Roaring described the figure as the current working total and emphasized that revenue assumptions will be revised once the state budget is adopted.

- Out‑of‑district tuition: The presentation identified about 34 anticipated out‑of‑district special education placements, each estimated at approximately $100,000, producing a roughly $3.4 million increase in tuition costs for the coming year.

- Revenue and fund balance: The draft assumes a flat tax levy and includes use of appropriated fund balance (the district previously told the community it might use about $3.7 million in fund balance to keep the levy under the cap). Final state aid numbers remain unknown because the state budget had not been adopted at the time of the meeting.

- Federal lunch/breakfast reimbursements: District staff noted federal reimbursements fund a large share (they cited roughly 79%) of the school breakfast and lunch revenue line; any federal rule or reimbursement change could affect the budget.

Capital propositions and projects

- Geothermal/green energy: The district is proposing a potential capital project (subject to voter approval and grant awards) estimated at about $33 million to install geothermal systems at Foster Town and Gardnertown schools and remove those buildings from fuel oil. The district said primary funding would come from New York State building aid and that the local share could be covered by NYSERDA grant awards if the district secures them.

- NFA North auditorium: A second May ballot proposition would fund renovations to the NFA North auditorium (new lighting, sound, seating and ADA access) at an estimated cost of just over $3.2 million. The district said that project would be a cash project funded from the capital reserve and would not carry a tax impact.

Timeline

The board indicated it intends to adopt the budget on April 22, hold a budget hearing on May 13 and conduct the annual budget vote on May 20.

Why this matters

District officials told the board that several revenue variables remain uncertain — most importantly the final state aid allocation and the status of federal program changes — and that those variables could change staffing and program choices. Separately, board members and public speakers tied proposed central-office abolishments and personnel actions to the budget conversation and asked for additional transparency about the fiscal rationale.

Ending

District staff said they will update the budget document as state and federal information becomes available and that the board will consider adoption at its April 22 meeting.