Niskayuna budget proposes $2.45 million in new spending, restores SRO programming; bus purchase to go to voters

The Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education on March 25, 2025 reviewed a recommended 2025–26 general fund budget of $168,121,281 that would raise the tax levy by 2.29 percent and add roughly $2.45 million for new positions and programs, including funds to restore school resource officer programming and to expand student support services.

District finance staff told the board the recommended additions would fund about 20.8 full-time-equivalent positions and include $115,000 intended to cover contract and startup costs tied to restoring an SRO program. The presentation said the district plans to clarify in community materials that the SRO line is for a limited deployment and that the board would specify staffing in the outreach materials.

Why it matters: The recommended budget includes increases to special-education capacity, summer learning, a director of science and technology, elementary teacher-on-special-assignment positions, and safety and security staffing. Those items together change staffing levels and programming the district offers and will be presented to the public as the board moves toward adoption on April 8 and the public vote in May.

Public commenters asked the board to act on related staffing decisions. Eva Crispoli, speaking on behalf of registered special-education staff, asked the board to fund more teaching assistants and to increase hours to 29 per week so aides would qualify for medical benefits, saying, "Teaching assistants are essential to the success of all students." Parent Doug Hechsel urged the board to keep SRO funding in the main budget, saying a petition he circulated to keep the SRO in the budget had gathered about 98 signatures and adding, "I urge you to keep it in the budget where it belongs." Parent Talia Fercheck urged the board not to remove the SRO from the proposed budget and cited the district's third-party safety review, saying, "Student safety must remain top priority."

Budget details presented by district staff said the new investments are funded by a combination of a modest tax levy increase and stronger state aid. Notable proposed new investments include: two additional elementary self-contained special-education programs and related social-emotional staff; 0.6 FTE additional occupational/physical therapy capacity; restoration of a K-5 summer learning academy; a director of science and technology; one full-time cleaner for the new building footprint; a proposed part-time contracted coordinator of security; full-time security monitors at each elementary school (converted from hard-to-fill part-time positions); and funding for district transportation technology (mounted tablets and geo-based alerts). The presentation also listed an increase in debt service tied to the district's 2024 capital project and noted building aid will offset part of those costs.

The board moved several formal items during the meeting. Members voted to authorize a bus-purchase proposition to appear on the May 20, 2025 ballot for voters' consideration. The motion to place that proposition on the annual-meeting ballot passed (all in favor, 7-0). The board later approved the consent agenda (items B through G) by a 7-0 vote and voted 7-0 to convene an executive session to discuss one legal item and personnel/medical matters.

What happens next: The administration said it will present a final recommended budget for board consideration and possible adoption at the April 8 meeting and will add clearer language in community materials about the SRO line (the board requested clarity that initial funding is for one officer at the high school). The bus purchase proposition will appear on the May 20 annual vote notice, and the district will publish detailed budget and program materials for public review.

Budget actions at a glance

- Motion: Authorize bus-purchase proposition for voter consideration on 05/20/2025. Outcome: approved; recorded vote: unanimous (7-0). Notes: motion presented by district staff and seconded; proposition will be included on the notice of annual meeting.

- Motion: Approve consent agenda items B through G. Outcome: approved; recorded vote: unanimous (7-0).

- Motion: Convene executive session to discuss one legal item and personnel/medical matters. Outcome: approved; recorded vote: unanimous (7-0).

Attribution and sources: Quotes and attributions above come from public commenters and district presenters during the March 25 board meeting.