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Rondout Valley board adopts $82.09M 2026–27 budget; health-insurance MOA and grievance settlement also approved
Summary
On April 7 the Rondout Valley Central School District board voted to adopt a $82,093,525 budget for 2026–27, approved a districtwide change to the MVP health plan via MOA and authorized a grievance settlement with CSEA. The administration said reserves and targeted attrition will close the immediate revenue gap.
The Rondout Valley Central School District Board of Education voted April 7 to adopt a $82,093,525 budget for the 2026–27 school year and approved several related personnel and benefits actions.
Superintendent Paul Spadaro presented the budget as a plan to preserve core academic and student-support programs while narrowing a multi-year funding gap. Spadaro said the district intends to set the tax levy at the allowable cap and use a mix of increased fund-balance utilization and appropriated reserves to close the district’s immediate shortfall. "We are proposing our expenditure budget at $82,093,525," he said during the presentation. He also outlined ongoing investments in new curricula and assessment tools, including EnvisionMath, Amplify CKLA and districtwide data-screening systems.
The presentation described a revenue gap that administration said would be reduced to near zero this year by using reserves and one-time funds; Spadaro and staff stressed that state foundation aid remains uncertain until the governor finalizes the state budget. The administration listed about $1.3 million in savings expected from attrition and internal transfers and said they will pursue grants and administrative efficiencies to limit staff reductions.
During discussion before the adoption vote, school leaders repeatedly framed the vote as approval of a dollar amount rather than a binding, immediate implementation of each staffing decision. "We're adopting the dollar amount," a board member said; administration clarified that specific assignments and personnel moves could change between now and the end of the fiscal year. Board members debated whether reassigning one SRO (school resource officer) or armed security position might free funds to retain some library aides, but trustees differed on the safety implications.
The board also voted to approve a memorandum of agreement to change the district health-insurance plan to MVP for multiple bargaining units; trustees praised bargaining-unit concessions that helped preserve positions. Finally, the board approved a class-action grievance settlement with the CSEA and authorized the superintendent to execute the settlement.
Votes were taken by voice; the motions for the MOA, the budget adoption and the grievance settlement were carried. The board did not record a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript provided.
What it means: Administration said the adopted budget preserves the district’s academic programs and increases use of reserves and attrition to balance the year; trustees signaled a willingness to continue reviewing staffing assignments and grant opportunities before final personnel decisions are made. The budget will go to the community vote May 19, 2026, per the presentation.
Next steps: Administration will continue outreach to voters, finalize state-aid numbers when released, and report back to the board if staffing or revenue assumptions change.
