Sewanhaka board hears $264.2 million budget, schedules May 20 vote; adopts AI policy and approves personnel and BOCES slate

The Sewanhaka Central High School District presented its proposed $264,214,007.95 budget for 2025–26 during the April 24 board meeting and set a public vote for May 20, 2025; the board also adopted a new artificial intelligence policy and approved multiple personnel and administrative items, including a unanimous vote to support three candidates for the Nassau BOCES board.

The proposed budget, which district presenters described in three parts (administrative, program and capital), would increase overall spending about 3.3% year to year. Presenters said the program portion — which covers classroom instruction, special education, student support services, extracurriculars and transportation — is roughly $200,000,000, a $7,000,000 (3.71%) increase from the prior year. The administrative portion was described as up 0.17% (a $53,356 increase). The district said the capital program will remain near $30,000,000 overall, with a reported $1,000,000 (4.08%) year‑to‑year increase and a listed capital improvement line of $2,659,797.

Why it matters: the budget determines staffing, programs and capital repairs across the district’s four communities, five high schools and other buildings. District leaders told the board the projection relies on the governor’s January aid estimate; the state budget had not been finalized at the time of the presentation and district staff said the hold‑up is policy, not a change in the dollar figures they used.

What the district said Regina Grama and Kevin O’Brien presented the budget breakdown to the board, explaining that state aid projections used in the plan come from the governor’s January estimate and that the district will monitor final state…