Averill Park board confronts $1.6 million budget gap; co-teaching, class-size changes and layoffs proposed

At a March 24 meeting of the Averill Park Central School District Board of Education, district leaders outlined a roughly $1.6 million budget gap for 2025–26 and described a package of cuts and program changes designed to close it.

Superintendent Jim (role/title not specified in the transcript) told the board the district faces about $4.5 million in cost increases — driven largely by health insurance and benefits — while projected revenue increases total about $2.9 million, leaving a shortfall of about $1.6 million. Jim said the district budgeted to preserve a $2.6 million reserve set aside last year and is planning a mix of staffing changes and other savings to balance the books.

The proposal would: implement a co-teaching model in larger elementary classrooms; reduce some library aide hours to two clerk-focused hours per elementary library day; avoid replacing two departing teachers and two departing aides; and eliminate six aide positions. Jim said the district expects to backfill retiring teachers with less-experienced hires to lower salary costs and to find savings in areas such as legal expenses and building use fees. "This budget is a good compromise that balances impact to our taxpayers with impact to our kids," said Adam (board member), who voiced support for the proposed plan.

Why it matters: The board and speakers framed the choices as between higher property taxes — requiring a 60% supermajority voter approval for a 6.8% increase to close the gap — and staff/program reductions. Board members and the superintendent repeatedly noted that foundation aid from the state and local property tax levies together fund nearly all district revenue, and that the final state budget (expected after April 1) could change revenue projections.

Public comment focused on class size and library staffing. Rebecca, a librarian at Algonquin Elementary School, urged the board to preserve library aides who, she said, do much more than clerical tasks and "help students find a book that is just right." Multiple parents described large kindergarten and early-grade classes of 23–27 students and said the size has produced classroom disruptions and possible learning loss.

District data presented at the meeting showed different class-size projections under two staffing models. Under the consultant model the district projected 10 elementary sections with 25 or more students (up from seven currently); under the proposed co-teach model the district projected three sections of 25 or more (one of those would have 23 students for most of the day). Administrators said the co-teach model is expected to reduce some instructional burden, listing multiple team-teaching approaches and offering professional development.

Other budget details discussed: the district estimated health insurance increases of more than $1.2 million and other benefit and salary increases of about $1 million. The superintendent reported that because expected state foundation aid increases and allowable property tax increases together total about $2.9 million in new revenue, the district needed roughly $1.6 million in savings. That savings plan includes using the approved-but-unspent $2.6 million of reserves only if needed.

Board members emphasized advocacy on state funding. Several trustees credited recent advocacy work and state-level attention for an improved foundation-aid outcome but said the district still must make difficult local choices. Trustees also sought clarity on special education funding and on federal grant streams; administrators said they had not seen immediate federal grant reductions and that Title and IDEA funds were, at that time, expected to continue.

Ending: The board did not adopt a final budget at this meeting; trustees discussed and asked for guidance, and several said they planned further public outreach and to seek updated state aid figures before finalizing a budget to present to voters.