Starpoint officials report 2025 budget baseline up 3.43%; district remains fiscally ‘lean’ with 4% unassigned fund balance

Starpoint Central School District officials briefed the board on budget planning for fiscal year 2025–26, laying out staffing assumptions, benefit-cost movements and where the district stands against state fiscal metrics.

The district presented a baseline year-to-year staffing and program roll-forward that produced an initial budget-to-budget increase of 3.43%. When the new capital project debt is included, the presenter reported the budget-to-budget increase rises to 5.12%. Administrators said assumptions currently include no net new instructional staff beyond replacements for leaves and that the district expects about $950,000 in increased personnel costs (approximately 3.15% in personnel spending) for the coming year.

On benefits, the presentation listed several drivers: the employer contribution rate to the New York State Employees’ Retirement System is expected to rise from 15.2% to 16.5% (an estimated increase near $35,000 for that line), and the district expects a roughly 6% budget-to-budget increase for the self-funded health plan line. The presenter said the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) rate is decreasing this year, producing an estimated savings of about $128,000. Other benefit lines (dental, unemployment and workers’ compensation) were described as stable or carrying modest increases in renewal rates.

The board received an overview of BOCES costs: Orleans Niagara BOCES placements and occupational education together were cited as principal drivers of a roughly $540,000 increase in BOCES-related costs, including anticipated higher costs for special-education placements and increased participation in occupational programs. District officials noted that some new costs are partially offset by state aid, which often arrives a year after a service’s first-year cost.

Officials reported the district’s unassigned fund balance is at the 4% level allowed under state guidance; the chief financial presenter noted that Starpoint typically runs a “lean” operation and compares below many peer districts on fund-balance and cash-on-hand ratios but that the state’s fiscal stress score remains 0, indicating no fiscal stress under the published metrics. The district noted that lower relative fund balances result in smaller available internal reserves for large capital projects, so some projects rely on voter-approved borrowing rather than accumulated surplus.

The presenter said staff will finalize parts of the budget between now and the next board meeting after a final month of health-insurance experience, transportation costs and any updated state-aid information. The district plans to re-run its budget model and publish updated baseline numbers and the anticipated fiscal stress score before the next meeting.