Connetquot budget holds programs while seeking extra state aid; UPK expansion proposed

Connetquot Central School District officials presented a draft 2025–26 budget March 25 showing a proposed 2.79% increase in spending, a tax levy at the district’s tax-cap limit of 1.34% and a roughly $354,000 gap that officials said they hope to close with additional state aid.

The budget presentation, delivered by Mr. Hauser, outlined staffing assumptions and program priorities and said the draft maintains all academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. The board was told the district expects to adopt a final proposed budget about a month from the meeting and face a public budget vote on May 20, 2025.

District staff emphasized that the budget shortfall is sensitive to the state aid figure that the legislature is expected to release after the governor’s proposal is finalized. "We're sitting at a 2.79 increase for the budget year to year," Mr. Hauser said during the presentation, and he added that a 1% uplift in foundation aid would substantially reduce the gap.

Nut graf: The gap matters because the district said it is already at the local tax-cap and wants to preserve class sizes and programs. Staff presented staffing and enrollment changes that reduce some costs through retirements, but health insurance, pension costs, transportation and a principal payment on recent capital borrowing create upward pressure on expenditures.

In the UPK program, staff described a proposal to expand the district’s program from 11 sections serving 190 students to a twelfth section serving 208 total students (sections of 18). Dr. Sinemore said class size is a top priority and that the district also carries one integrated co‑taught UPK section embedded in an elementary building as part of its 4410 program.

District staff explained how state UPK aid is restricted. "The UPK grant allows the district to expend $5,400 per section," Ms. Poppe said. She said the district must cover costs that exceed that per‑section cap. According to the figures cited at the meeting, the district currently carries about $122,600 of recurring general‑fund responsibility for UPK after COVID federal funds expired. Adding the twelfth section would add roughly $7,000 in recurring costs and about $15,000–$15,300 total the first year when furniture and curriculum materials are included.

Board members and staff noted demand: the district reported 281 total UPK applicants in the rolling lottery this year. Staff said physical classroom space limits expansion and that any decision to add additional sections beyond the twelfth would depend on either greater flexibility from the state in how UPK aid can be used or additional foundation aid from the state that the district does not yet have in hand.

Staff also singled out four cost areas running above the budget increase: health insurance and benefits (more than 8% increase), rising pension costs in the Employee and Teachers’ Retirement Systems, higher transportation costs when routes must be contracted out, and a principal payment on bond borrowing tied to capital projects.

Ending: District leaders said they will update the board after the legislature publishes its final state aid figures and will bring revised numbers as the district finalizes its proposed budget in advance of the May 20 vote.