Port Washington board adopts $205.8 million budget with 3.25% tax-levy increase; voters to decide May 19

The Port Washington Union Free School District Board of Education on April 14 adopted a $205,824,844 spending plan for the 2026–27 school year and a related tax‑levy increase of 3.25%, voting 7–0 to approve the budget at its public meeting.

Dr. Posse, who presented the budget overview, told the board: “The board is asked to approve the adoption of budget expenditures for $205,824,844 and the related tax levy increase of 3.25%, which importantly is within the allowable tax levy limit under New York State tax cap law.” He said the proposal balances support for student programs and operations while remaining mindful of taxpayers.

Why it matters: The district says staffing accounts for roughly 73–75% of expenditures and that the proposed budget adds the equivalent of 5.6 teaching positions — including instructional coaches, a music teacher to bolster the high‑school choral program, a business teacher, a special education teacher, an adaptive physical‑education teacher and an additional elementary math AIS teacher. The plan also funds a director of mathematics position intended to provide preK–12 leadership and to serve as the primary evaluator for math staff. The presentation listed facilities investments including districtwide expansion of air conditioning to second‑floor classrooms, HVAC upgrades at Schreiber, lighting and security improvements, a replacement district bus and the addition of an electric vehicle for private‑school runs, and elementary Wi‑Fi and device refreshes.

Context and constraints: District officials cautioned that state aid remains uncertain because New York had not finalized a state budget by its statutory deadline; the presentation used the most recent state aid runs available. Officials said additional foundation aid in the enacted state budget would represent unbudgeted revenue and could alter the district’s position.

Ballot items and next steps: The budget includes three propositions that will appear on the May ballot. Proposition 1 is the budget vote itself; Proposition 2 asks voters to authorize funding a repair reserve (to be funded from surplus and not to affect the tax levy); Proposition 3 would permit use of existing monies in a capital reserve created in 2022 for electrical and HVAC work (the funds are in the reserve and the measure would not change the tax levy but does require voter approval). Dr. Posse announced a public budget hearing on May 5 and the district budget vote on May 19.

Board action and related votes: The board approved the consent agenda, which included the budget, by unanimous voice vote (7–0). Other formal actions taken at the meeting included approval of the March 24 meeting minutes and adoption of Policy 5,800 (Bogart Fund scholarship), both by unanimous votes.

Public input and concerns: During the meeting’s public comment period, Regina McLean, president of the Port Washington Teachers Association, thanked the board for adding math chair positions but reiterated the union’s position that the new district director role is unnecessary. McLean also flagged concerns about proposed Regents exam incentives in the draft grading policy. Will Tracy, a parent, urged the district to develop a clear, formal policy governing classroom use of artificial intelligence tools and to make transparent how the district evaluates the effectiveness of instructional technology. Tara Miller, another parent, raised concerns about iReady diagnostics, reporting discrepancies between diagnostic results and classroom performance and noting that testing accommodations for students with IEPs or 504 plans are not always applied consistently.

What’s next: The district will hold its public budget hearing on May 5 and the voter election on May 19. The board also announced a tenure ceremony and a regularly scheduled May 5 meeting; it will reconvene committee work on curriculum and policy in late April and May.

Votes at a glance - Motion to adopt April 14, 2026 meeting agenda: approved 7–0. - Motion to recess to executive session (employment and legal advice): approved 7–0. - Motion to reconvene in public session: approved 7–0. - Approval of March 24, 2026 minutes: approved (voice vote recorded as unanimous). - Consent agenda (including budget adoption as Proposition 1): approved 7–0; budget expenditures $205,824,844, tax levy increase 3.25%. - Adoption of Policy 5,800 (Bogart Fund scholarship): approved 7–0.

Sources and attributions: Quotes and budget figures come from the board meeting presentation and public session remarks by Dr. Posse and other speakers at the April 14 public meeting of the Port Washington Union Free School District Board of Education.