Kingston board adopts $249.5 million 2025–26 budget after months of planning, reserves to be used pending state aid

Kingston City School District trustees adopted a $249,522,500 budget for the 2025–26 school year at their April 22 meeting, approving a levy increase below the district's maximum allowable and authorizing the use of reserves to balance the district's spending while the state budget and final foundation aid figures remain uncertain.

The board voted to present the adopted spending plan to voters at the district's annual meeting and budget vote. Business official (presenter) Miss Carvin told trustees the plan relies on a combination of projected state aid, expense-based reimbursements and one-time reserve allocations. "We don't know what the new formula is gonna be when the budget is enacted. We know the governor's proposal only, gives Kingston City School District the minimum 2% increase, which is $1,350,000," Carvin said during the presentation.

The budget's adoption matters because foundation aid historically supplies a large share of the district's revenue; Carvin told the board that under the prior formula foundation aid represented more than 25% of district revenue. With the statewide aid formula still in flux, the district is using a mix of reserves and careful revenue assumptions to present a balanced budget for voters while avoiding immediate deep program cuts.

Key numbers and plan details

- Proposed budget: $249,522,500 (an increase of just under $18 million, 7.76% over the current year). - Proposed tax levy: $117,600,000 (an increase that does not seek the district's maximum allowable levy). - Maximum allowable levy cited in the presentation: approximately $126,147,408 (7.27% increase from prior year). - Fund balance/reserves: the plan uses an allocated fund balance of $5,500,000 and an additional tax-reduction reserve draw of $1,250,000 from prior property sales; debt-service reserves were increased by roughly $500,000. - Major expense drivers called out: salaries and benefits (+$6,600,000), BOCES leases and stadium debt (+$1,800,000), transportation and RFP-driven adjustments (net increase included in the $18 million), special education (+$1,000,000) and other contractual/implementation costs (net +$2,000,000).

Carvin described the approach as buying time for the district: by using reserves rather than making deep immediate cuts, the district can wait for the enacted state budget and a final foundation aid formula to refine the long-range financial plan.

Board concerns and discussion

Trustees generally expressed support for the budget but pressed administration on several areas: transportation costs, the high and rising special-education expense, and the long-range plan if state aid differs materially from the district's assumptions.

- Transportation: Trustee Lamb and others questioned whether contracting out all routes remains cost-effective, noting many single-student routes and high per-day vendor charges. Trustees asked administration to investigate in-house options (smaller district-owned vehicles or different staffing models) and to share the district's transportation study with the board for future planning.

- Special education: Trustees asked for continued reporting on the special-education audit and restructuring. Teaching-and-learning committee materials presented the audit (Hudson River School Solutions) and a 30/60/90 plan that included staffing changes, clearer CSE/IEP processes, expanded integrated co-teaching models (ICT) in targeted subjects and increased professional development.

- Reserves and levy flexibility: Carvin explained that while the adopted expense total must appear on the ballot, the district can adjust revenues (for example, by using less reserve) after the fiscal year closes if state aid is higher than expected, resulting in a lower actual levy on tax bills.

Program and staffing notes mentioned in discussion

- English-language learner (ENL)/bilingual programming: The district serves roughly 750 ENL students and has a state-mandated bilingual program at Edson that began in 2021'22; the first cohort is now in third grade and the district plans to expand to Bailey in a future year. Trustees and staff noted bilingual staffing shortages constrain rapid expansion.

- Special-education classification: Administrative materials showed classification rising to nearly 27% (about 1,500 students), above the state average noted in the presentation (~17%). The district has roughly 300 out-of-district special-education placements and intends to expand partial ICT models and reconfigure class supports so students can move more fluidly between programs as needs change.

- Technology purchase: The board approved an installment purchase agreement (B77) to buy district Chromebooks through Ulster BOCES; the purchase was discussed during the consent agenda and later approved with one recorded opposed vote.

Votes at a glance (formal actions taken April 22)

- BOE48 (Election of BOCES board members): Completed by roll call; nominees for available seats were put forward and the board completed the roll-call votes as recorded in the minutes (BOE48). - BOE49 (Approval of the Ulster BOCES administrative budget 2025-26): Approved by the board. - BOE71 (Notice of public hearing on budget, annual meeting and board election): Approved. - BOE72 (Property Tax Report Card 2025-26): Approved. - B79 (Adoption of the Kingston City School District 2025-26 budget): Approved (budget adopted and will be presented on the ballot). - B80 (Appointment of election inspectors): Approved. - P98 (Acceptance of retirements/terminations list): Approved. - B76 (Award of transportation contracts): Tabled for the next meeting pending more complete vendor information and the transportation study. - B77 (Installment purchase agreement for Chromebooks with Ulster BOCES): Approved (record shows one opposed vote).

What happens next

With the budget adopted, the district will present the total spending proposition on the ballot at the annual meeting and the board and administration said they will continue to monitor the enacted New York State budget and revise revenue assumptions and reserve use if necessary. Administration plans additional community communications this summer about specific implementation changes trustees flagged, including transportation route adjustments and any building-level shifts in elementary class configurations.

Quotes and attributions

- Miss Carvin, business official: "We don't know what the new formula is gonna be when the budget is enacted. We know the governor's proposal only, gives Kingston City School District the minimum 2% increase, which is $1,350,000." (budget presentation)

- Trustee Lamb (on retirees and transportation): "The experience that these people have given this district is a huge loss to us, and I wish them all well in the future, and I thank them for being here for our kids." (consent/retirements discussion)

Ending

Trustees adopted the budget after a multi-hour public meeting that combined the superintendent's report, a detailed budget presentation from the district business official and multiple committee reports. Administration and trustees said they would refine reserve allocations and update the public if the enacted state budget or final foundation aid formula changes the district's revenue outlook.