Middle Country Board adopts $304 million 2025-26 budget; approves BOCES and SCOPE contracts

The Middle Country Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a $304,000,000 budget for the 2025-26 school year, approving a package of administrative and program contracts at its regular meeting.

The 8-0 roll call on the budget adoption (motion 25-04-SR-7) followed presentations and discussion of athletics, facilities and program priorities. The board's motion to adopt the budget remained within the district's allowable tax levy cap of 2.21 percent, which the board said translates to an average increase of $182 per year for a home assessed in the presentation at $2,500 (district-provided example). The district reported the proposed budget represents a 3.33 percent increase in expenditures over the current year.

Why it matters: The budget funds classroom programs, athletics, facilities projects and district operations for roughly 9,500 students across 14 buildings. Board members and staff emphasized the district's reliance on state aid and noted that a contingent budget would require cuts to nonmandated programs such as pre-K electives, field trips, extracurriculars, BOCES occupational education and late buses.

Board discussion and presentation. District staff member Mr. Mercado, who presented the physical education, health, athletics and facilities portion of the budget, described staffing and operational changes planned for 2025-26 and the district's in-house cost-saving work. "We monitor 90 custodians, which includes our mail department," Mr. Mercado said while outlining facilities staffing and recent hires; he also noted the district is in the process of hiring additional grounds and maintenance staff and an electrician.

Staff described a 0.3 full-time-equivalent reduction in health instruction positions from 6.0 to 5.7 FTE and explained that some equipment-purchase money has been reallocated between physical education and athletics because several secondary weight rooms now have sufficient equipment. The facilities team reported 1,822 work orders received as of April 4, with an 84 percent in‑house completion rate and 355 work orders still in progress, 64 of which required outside vendors.

Athletics and student outcomes. Mr. Mercado and district presenters highlighted the district's athletics scale and performance: 109 athletic teams across the district, roughly 1,400 high-school participants reported in the year-to-date signing-day figures, multiple teams qualifying for playoffs historically, and scholarship commitments the district reported at $439,000 so far for current signees. The athletics budget shows a large equipment increase in 2025-26 attributable to a reallocation from physical education codes and normal replacement needs; transportation budgeting was adjusted this year to consolidate outside transportation costs into the athletics section of the budget.

Revenue, tax levy and contingency. District officials said Middle Country is state-aid dependent and noted the governor’s proposal would increase state aid to the district. The board emphasized that staying within the allowable tax levy cap is a district priority. Officials warned that a contingent budget — which would take effect if the public rejects the budget or other statutory conditions occur — would force cuts of about $3.5 million, affecting nonmandated items including pre-K electives, occupational education (BOCES), class-size, field trips, extracurricular activities and late buses.

Other votes taken. At the same meeting the board also approved multiple related items, including the Eastern Suffolk BOCES administrative budget and annual election, SCOPE summer and before/after-school childcare contracts for 2025 and a memorandum of agreement with the operations unit. A second-reading of policy 6110 (budget planning) also passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance - 25-04-SR-7 — 2025-26 school year budget adoption: Outcome — approved (roll call 8–0). Vote record (as recorded during the meeting): John DiBenedetto — yes; [Miss] Feldman — yes; [Miss] Haggerty — yes; Mr. Hallock — yes; Miss Mann Rodriguez — yes; Miss Walsh — yes; Mr. Feeney — yes; Miss Sherrod — yes. Notes: motion carried unanimous. - 25-04-SR-1 — Eastern Suffolk BOCES administrative budget for 2025-26: Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified). - 25-04-SR-2 — Eastern Suffolk BOCES annual election: Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified). - 25-04-SR-3 — SCOPE summer enrichment program contract for summer 2025: Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified). - 25-04-SR-4 — SCOPE before/after school and summer childcare contract for 2025-26: Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified). - 25-04-SR-5 — Memorandum of agreement, operations unit: Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified). - 25-04-SR-6 — Property tax report card for 2025-26: Outcome — approved (roll call 8–0). Vote record: same 8 yes votes as above. - Policy 6110 — Second reading (budget planning): Outcome — approved (voice vote; roll-call not specified).

What was not decided or remains uncertain. Speakers repeatedly stressed that the precise household impact varies with assessed value and urged residents to use the district’s online tax-levy calculator to estimate their personal effect. The board also noted the district is monitoring new state requirements (including a referenced and still‑unquantified cell-phone-related mandate) and that estimated costs for several mandates remain to be determined.

Next steps and context. With the budget adopted, district staff will move forward with the projects and staffing changes described in the presentation and proceed with procurement and capital preparations referenced for the coming summer. The district reminded voters that the annual budget vote would be held on the date posted in district materials and on the website and pointed voters to online bulletin boards and the tax-levy calculator for detailed, line-by-line information and household impact estimates.