Niskayuna board adopts 2025–26 budget, approves pre-K contracts and bus proposition; discusses returning school resource officer

Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education on April 8 approved the 2025–26 spending plan and a set of related contracts and propositions as it heads into the district budget vote on May 20.

The board adopted a budget of $116,121,281 — a 4.83% increase from the prior year — with a tax‑levy increase of 2.29%, below the district's 3.58% cap. The motion to adopt the budget passed unanimously (7–0). The budget includes roughly $2.46 million in new investments and funds 20.8 new full‑time equivalent positions, board materials showed.

Why it matters: the budget sets the district's spending and the tax levy that voters will consider May 20. The package funds additional special education and student support, expands summer programming previously funded by grants into the general fund, restores one full‑time counselor at Iroquois Middle School for the sixth‑grade reconfiguration, and adds elementary staffing and security measures the administration says respond to community priorities.

Key details and context

- New positions and priorities: The presentation highlights 20.8 positions tied to academic priorities, including expanded special education supports, a dedicated director for science and engineering technology, continued summer learning academy funding, and added counselors and custodial staffing tied to building reconfiguration at Iroquois.

- Safety and security: The budget proposes restoring one school resource officer (SRO), primarily assigned to the high school, expanding elementary security monitors (one full‑time monitor at each elementary), and adding a part‑time contracted security coordinator. The district scheduled a presentation from the town police chief to the board on April 23 to explain the proposed SRO role and to answer questions. The district plans 15 informational sessions for faculty, PTOs and community groups and a one‑page infographic describing the SRO program components and limitations.

- Revenue and fund balance: Administrators said the budget was prepared using state aid projections in the governor's proposal and that the district may adjust the levy if state aid changes after the state budget is finalized. The district intends to use the same level of assigned fund balance next year and noted increased state building aid tied to ongoing capital projects.

- Bus purchase: The board authorized a bus purchase proposition to be placed on the May 20 ballot totaling $1,685,931 to replace nine buses as part of the district's replacement cycle. Officials said updated state contract pricing reduced the needed borrowing by about $200,000 compared with earlier estimates.

- Universal pre‑K contracts: The board authorized the district's Universal Pre‑Kindergarten contracts for 2025–26: Schenectady Jewish Community Center at $111,020 and TSL Adventures at $140,400. Board members noted these contracts will roughly double available UPK seats.

- Curriculum and routine items: The board adopted the Benchmark Advanced English language arts curriculum for grades K–5. The board also approved the property tax report card for submission to the State Education Department and adopted policy updates presented as second reads. Consent agenda items were approved as presented.

Votes at a glance (motions and outcomes)

- Adopt 2025–26 budget (amount presented to board: $116,121,281; tax‑levy increase: 2.29%): approved, 7–0. - Authorize contract: Schenectady Jewish Community Center — Universal Pre‑K, $111,020: approved, 7–0. - Authorize contract: TSL Adventures — Universal Pre‑K, $140,400: approved, 7–0. - Authorize bus purchase proposition for voter consideration, $1,685,931 (replace nine buses): approved, unanimous. - Adopt Benchmark Advanced K–5 ELA curriculum: approved, unanimous. - Approve property tax report card for 2025–26 and submit to State Education Department: approved, unanimous. - Adopt second‑read policy updates listed by administration: approved, unanimous.

Discussion and next steps

Board members spent time asking for implementation detail on the SRO proposal. Administrators said the SRO estimate in the proposed budget is a town estimate of a fully loaded FTE and noted regional districts share costs under memoranda of agreement; any final memorandum of agreement would return to the board for approval. Administrators also said scoreboards can be updated with placards, turf branding will be removed where required, and uniform replacement will be gradual as items are reordered.

District officials said they will mail the required school budget notice to households and continue information sessions across the community in the weeks before the May 20 budget vote, when residents can vote at Niskayuna High School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Ending note: The board recessed to an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss personnel and financial matters; no public action was expected afterward.