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. Sam explained that the district is budgeting a 7.68% health-insurance increase for 2026 based on a three-year average and noted that NYSHIP rates for calendar 2026 were still unknown at the time of the presentation.

On facilities and operations, Sam said the budget includes $172,000 to replenish the repair reserve (after a prior transfer for HVAC repairs), funding for the five-year building condition survey required by New York State, a painting schedule for the secondary school, another snow-removal utility (a Gator), and continuing equipment-rotation purchases for instructional technology. He said the district is also increasing the number of color copiers in elementary schools and funding a new human-resources platform to improve onboarding and employee management.

Security and student-safety items include funding to contract with a professional security firm to provide consulting and direct supervision of security personnel, plus a student attendance swipe system for the secondary campus funded in partnership with the Tower Foundation and a visitor-management system for each building that prints photo visitor badges.

On transportation, Sam highlighted two near-term items: the 2025-26 school year is the third and final year of the district’s existing transportation contract, which includes a built-in contractual increase of roughly 5% for that year; and the district is adding vehicles to serve out-of-district placements and nonregional events. He warned that when the district rebids the contract for 2026-27, market conditions could substantially increase costs. Sam said neighboring districts have recently seen bid increases of 25%–30% and that, applying that range to Manhasset’s lines could yield an approximate $1.5 million–$1.8 million budget impact in 2026-27.

Board members pressed for detail. A board member who identified himself as Ted asked whether the district would commission a routing and bus-study to inform rebidding; Sam said the district has started conversations to engage an outside consultant to analyze routing, ridership, consolidation opportunities and other efficiencies. The board also discussed ride-sharing credits with neighboring districts, wet versus dry contract structures (fuel included or excluded), and the possibility of renting space or sharing fleet assets with other districts. Sam said the study would examine those options and that transportation bids are complex and can be run for more than two weeks when appropriate.

On revenue, Sam said property tax is the district’s largest revenue source and that the proposed property tax levy is set at the tax-cap limit discussed at prior board meetings. He presented a preliminary state-aid estimate of about $5,460,000 and noted potential offsets the district is using this year, including a recommended transfer of $334,572 from the debt-service fund and a proposed use of $150,000 from the TRS reserve established last year. He said the district is also reducing the appropriated fund balance request by $140,266 to leave an appropriated assigned fund balance of $700,000.

Sam walked the board through elementary-class-size projections, saying all projected sections k–6 are expected to fall below the district’s class-size guidelines. He reported specific kindergarten trends at Muncie Park (85 trending enrollment, 65 registered, six outstanding packets and one requested packet) and Shelter Rock (40 registered and three packets outstanding) and noted final section determinations will be made in August based on actual summer enrollment.

Board members asked about contingency planning. One board member asked whether the district could delay incremental budget additions to the legal-services and contract-therapists codes; Sam said the proposed increases are intended to bring those lines closer to prior-year trends and reduce the need for frequent budget transfers. The board discussed the potential to reprioritize funds (for example, repurposing club funding where clubs close) and to track club trends so the district can reallocate staffing or stipends as needed.

Sam closed by reviewing next steps and the calendar: additional informal budget hearings, a formal budget presentation and adoption on April 10, a formal public budget hearing on May 8 and the district budget vote on May 20 (Super Tuesday). He reminded the board that voters must be registered and that absentee/early-voting information is on the district website.

The board did not adopt the budget at this meeting; the presentation was the first of several hearings and discussions before formal adoption and the public vote.

Ending: The board scheduled follow-up hearings and directed staff to provide further detail on transportation options and historical club/stipend trends, and to return with refined class-size and staffing projections as registrations finalize over the summer.