Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Washington presents preliminary rollover budget and tax-cap outlook; UPK expansion raises capacity questions
Summary
Administrators presented a rollover budget showing most increases driven by salaries and benefits, noted a modest 1% gubernatorial foundation-aid proposal and a proposed UPK expansion that could strain facilities and wraparound services; board asked for further analysis before March budget decisions.
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — At its Feb. 10 meeting, the Port Washington Board of Education reviewed a preliminary rollover budget and the tax-levy framework that will shape next year’s spending, and discussed how proposed state changes to foundation aid and universal prekindergarten (UPK) could affect the district.
Ms. Manuel presented the rollover estimate and tax-cap calculations, explaining that employee benefits are "estimated to increase nearly 6% compared to the prior year," driven largely by an approximate 9% rise in health-benefit premiums. She told trustees that contractual salary-and-benefits increases account for roughly 73% of the projected spending rise and that debt service (including an energy-performance contract) also contributes to the increase.
On state aid, presenters said the governor’s executive budget currently proposes a 1% increase in foundation aid — roughly $136,000 for Port Washington on a district-scale budget — and a substantial expansion of UPK funding. Ms. Manuel noted a proposed UPK per-student allocation of $10,000 in contrast to the roughly $6,200 the district currently receives for pre-K and stressed that details remain unresolved.
Trustees pressed administrators about capacity and program details. Board members noted that providing universal pre-K in a two-year timeframe would be difficult for many districts because of facility limits, the need for community-based organizations to host seats, and the requirement for wraparound child care before and after the five-hour UPK day. Administrators said they will continue meeting with community-based organizations and await further guidance from the state education department before expanding seats.
The presentation also listed candidate investments being analyzed for the budget, including instructional coaching positions, a proposed director-of-mathematics role, expansion of academic pathways, continued investment in professional learning, and an increased transfer to capital for urgent projects (flooring abatement at Guggenheim, a retaining wall at Manor Haven, and roof and masonry at Dailey).
Procedural votes: the board approved two sets of minutes (Dec. 12, 2025 curriculum-committee minutes and Jan. 20, 2026 BOE minutes) 7–0 and later approved consent-agenda items 13.1–20.1 by the same margin.
Next steps: administrators will present a full staffing plan at the March 10 meeting and provide more detailed budget recommendations; trustees asked for follow-ups on UPK capacity, the assumptions behind benefit projections, and options for prioritizing investments within the tax-cap constraints.
