Assistant Superintendent for Business Robert Bartels told the Sayville Union Free School District Board the district has begun assembling the 2025–26 budget and offered a schedule of key dates.

"We are in the process of putting the budget together for next year already," Bartels said, outlining planned presentations on Nov. 11, Dec. 11, Jan. 15, Feb. 12, Mar. 5 and Mar. 12, a preliminary budget hearing on April 21 and the official, state-required budget hearing on May 12, followed by the budget vote on May 19.

Bartels said the budget advisory committee raised several pressures that will shape planning: the tax cap, external increases in health-insurance premiums and employer retirement contributions, special-education placement costs, and ongoing contract and technology needs. "We spoke about issues with tax cap, external pressures on health insurance premiums and employer retirement contribution rates and internal pressures of already moving contracts, special education needs and placements, and keeping up with different technology changes," he said.

Board members and the superintendent expressed appreciation that the district began the process early and committed to frequent updates. Bartels noted April 21 as the last opportunity to change the preliminary budget before the official hearing required by state law.

What’s next: the board will receive the Nov. 11 budget-priorities presentation and a Dec. 11 financial update from staff; the district's timeline places the tax-cap presentation on Feb. 12 and culminates in a May 19 budget vote.