Board adopts $123.095 million 2025–26 budget; routine personnel and program motions approved

The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education adopted a $123,095,000 budget for the 2025–26 school year on April 21, voting to move the proposal forward even though the New York state budget had not yet been enacted.

Superintendent Dr. Ron Hatter told trustees the district is adopting its budget “based on the best information available” and is making assumptions tied to the governor’s proposed state budget, including a $2,595,000 increase in foundation aid. The administration said those assumptions produce a 3.35% budget‑to‑budget increase and a 1.74% tax‑levy change; using local equalization figures the administration estimated tax‑rate increases of about 1.12% for most of Yorktown, and larger estimated rate changes in smaller portions of the district’s tax base (the presentation cited estimated increases of 9.46% for one municipality and 7.59% for another).

The board adopted the budget by voice vote after a motion and a second; no opposing votes were recorded on the audio record.

In a single consent and routine‑business sequence, the board also approved personnel motions, side letters with the CTATA teachers’ chapter providing additional substitute pay for two numbered employees, appointment and resignation items, the district’s 2025–26 property tax report card for publication, the minutes of the April 7 meeting, an overnight Yorktown High School trip to the Geniius (Genius) Olympiad Science Competition at Rochester Institute of Technology (June 9–13), an independent‑contractor agreement for speech‑language services (pending receipt of required insurance documents), curriculum professional‑improvement proposals from the teachers’ union, special‑education placements, and acceptance of gifts and grants (listed on the agenda).

Board members and the administration cautioned that the budget depends on the state passing a final budget and that, if state aid differs from the district’s assumptions, the district would reconvene fiscal reviews and make recommendations to the board to address any shortfall or surplus once facts are known. Lisa Sanfilippo and other trustees asked procedural and timing questions; Business Office staff explained that the district must file the property tax report card with the state by the published deadline and that adjustments after the filing are limited.

Votes at a glance - Adopt 2025–26 budget: $123,095,000 — approved (voice vote; no opposing vote recorded). Motion and second on record; mover/second not specified in the transcript. - CTATA side letters (additional substitute pay for employees #5332 and #5483) — approved (voice vote). - Personnel appointments, resignations and substitute lists — approved (voice vote). - 2025–26 property tax report card — approved (voice vote). - Yorktown High School overnight trip to Genius Olympiad, RIT (June 9–13) — approved (voice vote). - Independent contractor agreement for functional SLP (speech/language) — approved pending required insurance documents (voice vote). - Curriculum: Yorktown Congress of Teachers professional‑improvement proposals (2024–25) — approved (voice vote). - Special‑education placements listed on the agenda as of 04/21/2025 — approved (voice vote). - Acceptance of gifts/grants (including $2,000 from Krompon PTA for a fourth‑grade excursion) — approved (voice vote). - Approval of minutes (04/07/2025) — approved (voice vote).

Why it matters: adopting a budget establishes the district’s spending plan and tax‑levy request for public disclosure and scheduling of the public budget vote; the administration’s assumptions about state aid will determine whether follow‑up adjustments are required.

The board’s vote concluded the district’s budget process for the year; administrators said they will convene a fiscal advisory meeting if state aid differs from the assumptions used in the adopted budget.