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Wappingers board adopts $321.24 million proposed 2025–26 school budget; tax levy to rise 1.3%
Summary
The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education adopted a proposed $321,239,071 budget for 2025–26 to present to voters as Proposition 1. The budget holds the tax levy increase to 1.3% by applying $12 million from the district’s fund balance and includes expanded special‑education staffing, safety spending and other program additions.
At its April 22 meeting the Wappingers Central School District Board of Education adopted a proposed 2025–26 budget of $321,239,071 to be presented to district voters as Proposition 1.
The superintendent (presenter, name not specified in the meeting transcript) said the budget is intended to maintain current programs and add targeted staff and services in special education, English‑language learner support, career and technical education and school safety while staying below the state tax‑cap threshold. “We continue our focus on safety as well as the emotional and mental health of our students and staff,” the presenter said during the meeting.
Key items included in the superintendent’s recommended budget:
- Total budget: $321,239,071; to be presented to voters on May 20, 2025 as Proposition 1. - Tax levy: proposed increase of 1.3%, below the current tax‑cap figure of 1.57% cited at the meeting. - Use of reserves: $12,000,000 of fund balance proposed to reduce the tax levy impact on taxpayers. - Special education: expansion of the language‑based program, addition of approximately eight special‑education teachers (six additional teachers district‑wide plus two added to the language‑based program), two additional teaching assistants, a special‑education professional development specialist and a proposed assistant superintendent for special education. - Safety and health: continued assignment of school resource officers (Dutchess County and East Fishkill police SROs noted), additional school safety officers at Royce C. Ketchum and John Jay high schools, retention of officers added earlier at Gay Head and Myers Corners elementaries, and addition of two registered nurse positions. - Instructional and student supports: additional ELL teacher at Gay Head Elementary, elementary reading teachers, a shared assistant principal serving Brinkerhoff and Fishkill Plains elementaries, expansion of P‑TECH course sections with three additional teachers (math, English and social studies), technology support (network specialist), and districtwide telephone system replacement.
The presenter said district enrollment is about 10,500 students and that the special‑education population is roughly 17.5% of enrollment. The superintendent said the district spends nearly $2,000,000 annually on safety and security and described the budget as the fourth consecutive year presented below the tax cap.
Board action and voting: Trustee Kellan moved to adopt the proposed budget; Trustee Marie Johnson seconded. The board voted in favor and the motion carried. No roll‑call vote tally was recorded in the transcript.
The superintendent noted that state aid finalization was pending and that the district was proceeding using the governor’s proposal to meet board and voter deadlines; public budget forums were scheduled at the district’s high schools and the district email (budget@WCSDNY.org) and website were listed for further information. The meeting record shows subsequent routine approvals related to the district’s annual reporting process and consent agenda.
