Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reviews $107.3 million proposed budget for 2025–26; health insurance and bus electrification noted
Summary
District business staff presented a $107,327,289 proposed budget for 2025–26, a 3.73% increase over the current year. The presentation highlighted enrollment projections, benefit cost growth, a plan to work with NYSERDA on electric buses, and one‑time athletics costs tied to new turf.
Byram Hills staff presented the administration’s proposed $107,327,289 budget for the 2025–26 school year at the Board of Education meeting on March 4, a $3.8 million (3.73 percent) increase from the 2024–25 budget of $103,464,726.
The presentation, given by Kelly (staff member, budget presenter), laid out the district’s budget‑development calendar and key drivers: enrollment projections, rising benefit costs, transportation purchases and capital projects. "When you see a budget‑to‑budget increase of 3.73, that does not correlate with an increase in taxes of 3.73," Kelly said, adding the district would present revenue, levy and tax‑rate details at a later hearing.
Highlights and context
- Enrollment: District enrollment was listed as 2,261 in February 2020 and projected at 2,336 for 2025–26, with a projected dip then recovery at the high school level in later years. The presentation noted elementary sections (for example, 10 kindergarten sections) and new housing developments that could affect future enrollment.
- Budget composition: The proposed budget was described as 72.8% program, 15.1% capital and 12.1% administrative.
- Benefits and health insurance: Staff said retirement and health‑insurance costs have risen in recent years; the presenter cited recent annual increases near 9–10% and an approximately 28% increase in health insurance over three years. The board was told those trends materially affect next year’s figures.
- Transportation and electrification: The district plans to purchase two buses and three vans next year and is working with NYSERDA on a plan for electrifying buses, including infrastructure needs. Staff said the district will continue following its replacement plan with a move toward electric buses before 2027, contingent on state guidance and funding.
- Athletics and capital: An announced increase in athletics spending (cited as 5.1%) was largely linked to one‑time equipment and installation costs for a new turf field; staff said maintenance costs should decline thereafter. Debt‑service payments are due to drop once next year’s payment is complete.
Next steps and public hearings
Kelly outlined the public schedule: additional budget workshops, revenue presentations (scheduled March 25), proposed budget adoption April 8, board adoption April 22, final hearing May 6 and the budget vote May 20, 2025. Staff encouraged public attendance at budget hearings 2 and 3 to raise questions before final adoption.
Ending: Board members asked clarifying questions about enrollment trajectories, course offerings and multi‑year staffing implications; staff said administrators will provide additional detail at upcoming meetings on revenue, special education and instructional‑program budgets.
