Averill Park budget hearing outlines $1.6 million gap, co‑teaching plan to avoid layoffs

District staff told the Averill Park Central School District board at a budget hearing that the proposed 2025–26 budget began with an approximately $1.6 million shortfall and that the district had identified a package of changes intended to close the gap without any layoffs.

The presentation said salaries and benefits account for roughly 77% of the district’s budget and flagged two major cost drivers: an increase in prescription‑drug costs estimated at about $1.2 million and the continued effect of retirement contribution rates (TRS/ERS). At the same time, the district expects an increase in foundation aid of nearly 6 percent, bringing foundation aid to about $19 million and making state aid a larger but still secondary share of total revenue.

To close the budget gap, staff described a mix of staffing and revenue moves. The centerpiece is a shift toward a co‑teaching delivery model in elementary grades that staff said allows the district to reduce the number of paraprofessional aide positions and reallocate resources to hire additional special education teachers. Staff said the net result is an increase of one elementary full‑time equivalent (FTE) and reductions totaling six aide positions after reassignments and conversions, with two teaching assistants reassigned from the middle school to elementary schools. The district said those changes, plus attrition, breakage savings from retirements and small revenue adjustments (about $181,000 in interest and other minor items), would reduce the deficit to zero.

Presenters emphasized that no staff layoffs would result from the plan. “0 layoffs,” the presenter said when summarizing staffing outcomes, noting that no classroom teachers, aides, district office staff or administrators would lose employment because of the package.

Program‑level changes described in the presentation include preserving Algonquin Middle School’s long‑standing team structure despite a retirement and shifting one special‑education FTE at the middle school. At the high school, staff said two FTE reductions (one retirement and one resignation) would effectively result in a net loss of one social studies FTE but would allow the district to reintroduce a business program by redirecting a retirement vacancy; the curriculum renewal group developed that change. Athletics changes include adding an assistant coach for girls wrestling and moving unified bowling from grant funding (Title IV) into the general projects budget at an estimated $3,000 annual cost.

The presentation also addressed facilities and transportation: the district plans a vehicle‑replacement proposition of roughly $971,000 for six 65‑passenger buses. Staff said state aid would cover about 71% of the bus purchase; after financing and aid, the district estimated an annual cost to taxpayers of approximately $317,318 in total (noted in the presentation as an annual finance figure) and $63,500 as a per‑year line item. On fleet electrification, staff said the district is awaiting a NYSERDA‑funded electrification study (the presenter said an updated delivery date in May) and will not move on broader electrification decisions until the study is complete.

Revenue policy changes include continuing the long‑standing practice of not charging community groups for facility use, while starting to charge a custodian‑coverage fee for weekend use when custodial presence is required. The board, the presenter said, elected to present the budget at the tax cap level; staff said the tax‑levy increase to residents would be about $871,000 for the coming year.

The presenter said the district uses fund balance and reserves as part of the budget strategy and intends to maintain the same level of planned use as the previous budget cycle, after a year when budgeted reserves were not needed and therefore replenished. The presenter described the budget growth from the prior year as about $2.9 million, or 4.34 percent, and called the increase “responsible and necessary” given rising costs.

Next steps noted in the hearing: the district plans a public budget vote on May 20 in the high school auxiliary gym and will return with the NYSERDA fleet electrification report when available.