Kings Park reviews first draft of 2025–26 budget; technology, student supports prioritized

Kings Park Central School District Superintendent Kevin Egan told the Board of Education on Jan. 28 that the district’s first draft of the 2025–26 budget is about $111.9 million, a budget-to-budget increase of roughly 4.75 percent and a tax-levy increase of about 3.13 percent.

“Tonight is our second public presentation on the budget. It's the first draft of the budget,” Egan said, explaining the district is working through state aid projections, enrollment changes and cost drivers.

The draft budget shows a gap of just under $2.5 million that the district plans to close through continued monitoring of state aid, use of applied fund balance and reserves, and internal expenditure reviews. Egan said projected aid for the coming year is roughly $19.4 million — about 18 percent of the draft budget — and that the district will press for additional support as Albany’s budget process continues.

Why it matters: The board faces a multi-month window in which the governor, the state Senate and the Assembly will negotiate school-aid levels. Egan noted the governor’s executive budget included a minimum 2 percent foundation-aid increase and placed districts like Kings Park on a “safe-harmless” footing this year; he cautioned the initial figures published in local media may not reflect the district’s final entitlement once building-aid timing and…