Monroe-Woodbury board links enrollment shifts to staffing additions as superintendent proposes 1.95% levy

Dr. Tracy Norman, superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, on April 8 presented the district's 2026–27 budget recommendation and linked staffing proposals to recent enrollment shifts and student needs.

The superintendent outlined a proposed general fund budget of $245,052,094 and said the district is recommending a tax-levy increase of 1.95%, reporting a tax-levy figure of $135,900,000; the presentation projected approximately $5.7 million in additional state aid, including about $3 million in foundation aid. "We are proposing a tax levy increase of 1.95%," Norman said, noting the district remains below New York State's allowable growth factor.

The presentation began with enrollment data across five school years (2021-22 through 2025-26). District staff told the board that while overall in-district enrollment has decreased since 2021-22, subgroup counts show different trends: English learners rose from about 8% in 2022 to roughly 16% as of late March 2026; students with individualized education programs (IEPs) remain in the high teens (about 17–19%); and the share of students needing Tier 3 intensive interventions grew from about 25% to 28%.

Those subgroup trends drove personnel recommendations. After moving three proposed special-education teaching-assistant positions to grant or special-aid funding, district leaders recommended five new general-fund positions for 2026–27: a JROTC instructor at the high school (50% of salary paid by the U.S. Army), literacy and math specialists to serve the five elementary schools, a special-education teacher at Pine Tree to convert a temporary section to permanent status, and a school psychologist (0.6 FTE) to assist with elementary Committee on Special Education (CSE) chair duties and provide counseling services. Chris Berger, presenting staffing details, said the net recommendation for the general fund was five positions.

Board members asked whether services overlap (for example, English-as-a-New-Language and academic intervention services) and how overlap affects counts and staffing. District staff said weekly enrollment tracking informs staffing decisions but that precise overlap percentages were not available at the meeting and would be provided later. Responding to a question about building flexibility, staff said temporary positions that prove necessary are typically moved into the budget after demonstrated need.

Union leaders who spoke during public comment supported the budget and the staffing direction. Darryl McElroy, president of the Monroe-Woodbury Teachers Association, urged continued investment in classroom supports: "While some may think fewer students should equal fewer staff members, the reality is that the needs of our students '' demonstrate the need for more staff, not less," he said. Casey Gaitman, MWTA executive vice president, appealed to the board to remember that behind budget figures are students and educators.

Administrators warned the public about contingency-budget rules: if voters reject the proposed budget at the May 19 vote, the district would be constrained to a contingent budget and required to make mandatory reductions. The superintendent encouraged turnout for the May 19 vote and said the board will adopt the budget on April 21 before the public vote.

The board took several routine votes that evening (procedural approvals and personnel/business items) by voice vote. The budget presentation and staffing proposals will proceed through the public adoption and vote schedule; district staff said they would return with requested data on subgroup overlap and any additional clarifications.

What happens next: the board is scheduled to adopt the proposed budget on April 21 and the public vote is set for May 19 at Central Valley Elementary. The board and administration said they will provide follow-up data on subgroup overlap and weekly-tracking figures to inform final staffing decisions.