Manhasset presents $114.98 million preliminary 2025-26 budget; transportation costs flagged for 2026-27

Sam, a district staff member, presented the Manhasset Union Free School District's preliminary 2025-26 budget to the board, saying the proposed total is $114,975,112, an increase of $3,688,905 (3.31%) from the current year and within the district's property tax levy limit.

The budget, Sam said, funds priorities including expanded math and STEM programming, additional secondary course offerings, facility and security improvements, and technology refreshes. He described specific staffing changes and program investments and outlined revenue assumptions and one-time offsets the district is using to balance the plan.

The presentation matters because the budget frames school programming, staffing and capital work for the coming year and must be adopted by the board and then approved by district voters. Sam said the budget preserves a strong elementary program, reallocates an existing literacy coach position to create a new math coach, increases sixth-grade weekly math instruction by 60 minutes, and funds new secondary offerings (a biomedical program, virtual enterprise expansion, AP comparative government and additional Chinese instruction at grade 8). The plan also funds expanded robotics competition participation and an additional club or academic team at the secondary level.

Sam told the board that staffing and benefits make up about 74% of the proposed budget, with special-education non-compensation costs at 6% and other operating costs at 20%. He said the increase includes a 1% budget increase for benefits and a 1% increase for special-education expenses, both identified as recent pressure points.…