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Cliffside Park board adopts $76 million 2026–27 budget, cites $4 million rise in health costs
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Summary
The Cliffside Park Board of Education on March 20 approved an approximately $76 million 2026–27 budget, driven largely by a roughly $4 million increase in medical and prescription costs. The board recorded a unanimous roll‑call vote to adopt the budget and will submit it to county and state authorities.
The Cliffside Park Board of Education voted to adopt its 2026–27 school budget on March 20, approving an approximately $76,000,000 spending plan that the district said is up about $4,000,000 from the prior year.
Business Administrator Will O'Fallon told the board the budget challenge was driven chiefly by rising medical and prescription costs. “The total budget for 2026–27 is approximately $76,000,000 and change. It’s up about $4,000,000 year over year,” O'Fallon said, adding that medical and prescription costs alone rose about $4,000,000 (roughly a 32 percent increase compared with the prior year).
O'Fallon said the state allowed the district about $2,800,000 in adjustments above the 2 percent cap to offset a $4,200,000 absolute increase; after those adjustments the board still recorded a levy increase of roughly $3.5 million. He estimated that a homeowner with an assessed value near $370,000 would see about $270 more per year on their property tax bill as a result of the levy change.
The budget presentation also highlighted other line-item movements: instruction and special education costs rose by roughly $1,000,000 year over year (largely contractual salary costs) and instructional support (child study team, OT/PT and purchased professional services) increased by about $1,000,000. O'Fallon said transportation operations and many administrative lines were essentially flat year over year, and noted new tuition revenue from expanded before‑and‑after‑care and modest growth in Fairview tuition.
Board members voted on a motion to adopt the budget; the motion was moved and seconded and passed on roll call. The board clerk recorded affirmative votes from the members present; the budget will be filed with the county and state in accordance with statutory deadlines.
The board and administration said they will continue to monitor 2025–26 actuals — O'Fallon flagged a roughly $450,000 variance in medical/prescription actuals compared with forecasts and about $190,000 higher energy costs — and promised continued efforts to limit nonessential spending while protecting core student services.
The board proceeded to the public consent agenda after the budget vote; the budget adoption is the most recent formal action recorded at the meeting.
