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Pleasantville administrators outline 2026–27 budget with modest net shifts, public hearing May 5
Summary
District administrators presented 2026–27 budget details across pre‑K, elementary, middle, high school, special education and technology lines, noting targeted investments in curriculum and safety systems while projecting modest net increases in some areas; a public hearing is set for May 5 and the budget vote on May 19.
Administrators for the Pleasantville Union Free School District presented the proposed 2026–27 budgets for each school building and central services at the April 7 board meeting, outlining program priorities, projected enrollment shifts and key dates for community review.
At the Bedford Road School, principal Rachel Longer said projected enrollment will rise from about 543 to 552 students next year, prompting the likely addition of one class. Longer said the BRS budget proposal is $180,145 for next year, a decrease of $42,350 from the current year, and includes $10,000 in the district budget earmarked for UPK instructional materials tied to the YMCA partnership that runs the pre‑K program.
Dr. Bala, who presented special‑education projections, said the district expects to support about 344 special‑education students next year (up from about 330) and to educate a slightly higher number of nonresident students (from 46 to 50). Bala reported a projected net special‑education budget increase of about $255,872 driven by an increase of roughly $681,000 in tuition lines offset by an anticipated $309,686 decrease in placement costs, and said the district expects tuition revenue to increase by approximately $412,934.
District officials emphasized continued funding for curricular priorities, including literacy programs at BRS, National Geographic social‑studies materials at the middle school and new dual‑enrollment offerings at the high school. Administrators said the overall district budget includes smaller shifts in contractual and BOCES lines as some services transition between budget categories.
The technology director outlined several infrastructure projects planned for the summer—an overhaul of the VoIP phone system, network switch replacements funded in part by E‑rate, UPS battery replacements for network closets, and a migration of security camera management to a cloud‑based platform funded by an interfund transfer. Administrators said the technology operating budget is essentially flat, with a slight projected decrease of about $12,000 overall.
The board was reminded of two near‑term public steps: an official public hearing on May 5 and the district’s budget adoption and the statewide vote on Tuesday, May 19. Presentation materials were posted on the district website for community review.
What happens next: the board will hold the hearing on May 5 and has the opportunity to adopt a final budget before the public vote on May 19.
