Sewanhaka district presents $264.2 million 2025-26 budget; $15 million capital reserve proposed

Sewanhaka Central High School District officials on an annual budget hearing presented a proposed 2025–26 general fund budget of $264,214,795 and described a ballot proposition to establish a 2025 capital reserve with an ultimate principal of $15,000,000.

The presentation, led by district presenter O'Brien and staff, summarized the three-part budget (administrative, program and capital), projected state aid and local revenue, proposed capital projects and student-program expansions. The board held procedural votes to open and close the hearing and to appoint a hearing chairperson before the presentation.

The budget as presented divides spending into administrative, program and capital categories. The administrative portion was said to increase by 0.17% (an additional $53,356). The program portion — described as the largest component because it covers instruction, special education, student supports, extracurriculars and transportation — was presented with a year-to-year increase of 3.71%. District presenters stated total district enrollment is just under 8,000 students and that more than 1,100 students currently have individualized education programs (IEPs). English-language-learner enrollment was described as over 700 students, an increase of about 70 students year to year.

Officials outlined curriculum and program additions planned under the program budget, including new biology and earth-and-space science curricula, expanded dual-enrollment offerings with Nassau Community College, a new medical-assisting classroom in career and technical education (CTE), and a new cosmetology building expected to open in September; the district said roughly 96 students participate in the cosmetology program. The district also plans summer-school credit-bearing courses, seventh-grade transition/enrichment programming and continued investments in co-teaching models to support inclusion.

In the capital component, the presentation listed building and site work across district schools, including public-address upgrades at Elmont, concrete and masonry repairs, parking expansion at Ridge Road, HVAC and pump replacements, selective roof replacements (including partial auditorium roof work at Sewanhaka), door and window replacements, gym equipment repairs and other building maintenance. The capital projects budget line shown in the presentation was $2,600,000 and the district said capital spending would increase by about 4% in the year shown.

Revenue assumptions presented included projected state aid of $75,528,000 and local revenue of $188,686,000 to balance the $264,214,795 budget. The presentation gave a breakdown of state-aid categories: Foundation Aid $57,836,000; Transportation Aid $6,700,000; Building Aid $4,300,000; BOCES Aid $1,900,000; high-cost and private-school excess aid roughly $1,500,000 each; technology/hardware aid $93,000; library/textbook/software aid $685,000; and an indicated high-tax aid figure near $889,008. Local revenue items listed included a tax levy of $171,087,934, estimated LIPA PILOT payments of $3,144,292, an allocation from fund balance of $5,251,000, applied reserves of $4,559,000, and miscellaneous revenue of $4,643,000 (including interest income, Medicaid reimbursements, fees, insurance recoveries, equipment sales, tuition and donations).

District staff described the formula used to calculate the tax-cap limit and said the district’s levy would represent approximately a 2.91% increase over the prior year under the figures shown. The presentation also reiterated that the full line-by-line budget and the presentation slides are posted on the district website.

The second ballot proposition presented is the proposed 2025 capital reserve. Under the proposition language read at the hearing, the reserve — authorized under Education Law section 3651, as stated in the proposition reading — would fund capital improvements across district buildings, facilities and athletic fields, including masonry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical (HVAC), removal/replacement of underground storage tanks, security and technology upgrades, roof and window replacements, site work, classroom renovations, furnishings and equipment, and purchase of district vehicles. The proposition text presented specifies an ultimate principal amount of $15,000,000, a probable term of 10 years, and sources of funding limited to surplus or unexpended unassigned fund balances or other legally available reserve funds.

During a brief question-and-answer period, an unnamed board member or attendee asked about charter-school tuition costs and the per-pupil cost differential; presenters said district per-pupil spending is about $8,900 and that charter tuition commonly costs about $20,000 per pupil, and that the district has roughly $200,000 in charter tuition obligations in the referenced elementary area (Franklin Square). A separate question raised rising health-care costs and whether districts are forming purchasing co‑ops to control costs; presenters said that union approval would be required to pursue such cooperative arrangements and that additional study would be needed.

Procedural actions taken at the start and close of the hearing were recorded on the transcript: the board moved and carried a motion to open the annual budget hearing, nominated and approved a chairperson for the hearing, closed nominations and later moved and carried to close the annual budget hearing. The presentation closed with reminders that election day is May 20 and that mailed informational materials and the line-by-line budget are available on the district website.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the hearing transcript): the motions to open the hearing, to nominate and appoint a hearing chairperson, to close nominations, and to close the hearing were all put to voice vote and “carried” according to the transcript. The transcript does not provide recorded numerical tallies for those procedural voice votes.