South Colonie board adopts proposed 2026–27 budget, sends four propositions to May 19 vote

The South Colonie Central School District Board of Education voted 6–0 on May 19 to adopt a proposed budget for the 2026–27 school year and to place four propositions before district voters on May 19.

Miss McAllister (district budget presenter) told the board the document presented was a second, near-final draft built on the governor’s proposal and current legislative numbers: the plan prioritizes “academic equity and opportunities for all students,” continued work on the district’s Next Generation capital program and targeted programmatic enhancements, she said. Enrollment for preK–12 was cited at about 5,139 students, and the district is presenting a maximum budget based on available state-aid projections.

Why it matters: The adopted budget moves to a public vote on May 19; if voters approve the propositions, the district will fund capital-phase work, a bus purchase and establish a new capital reserve while keeping the local tax levy change within the state’s cap framework.

What the board approved and why: McAllister said the draft closes an earlier roughly $800,000 gap through a combination of fund-balance appropriations and targeted reductions, while preserving instructional priorities. She listed several numerical details included in the draft: a total budget increase of 5.77…