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District to review UPK funding shortfall; board approves $50,000 certiorari transfer
Summary
Public commenters raised concerns about Universal Pre-K (UPK) state-aid shortfalls; the superintendent said the district is reviewing the matter and that no contracts will be signed until final state-aid numbers are known. The board approved a transfer of $50,000 from the certiorari reserve to cover anticipated tax-assessment-related expenses.
Residents pressed the board on Universal Pre-K funding and transparency during public comment at the May 5 meeting. Jerry Lee of Stormville said he understood the district faced an almost $60,000 shortfall in the first UPK year and a $230,000 shortfall this year and asked why the public had not been informed. "That program was basically sold to the public and approved because it wasn't going to cost us anything," Lee said.
Superintendent Plunkett responded that the district is reviewing the past year's UPK funding and that the audit committee will examine the matter (the audit-committee meeting had been postponed and was rescheduled). He said state UPK funding sometimes becomes clearer after initial awards and that, going forward, district officials (Plunkett and Assistant Superintendent Silver) have committed that "there will be no contract signed, no commitment of expenditure until we have the final number on the state aid." Plunkett said the district is working to publish curriculum materials for UPK and kindergarten on the district website.
On budget housekeeping, the board approved a motion to transfer $50,000 from the certiorari reserve into the current budget to cover expected tax-certiorari and assessment-related costs; the board directed that any unused portion be returned to the reserve after June 30, 2026. District finance staff explained certiorari transfers are used to cover judgments or reductions in property-assessment outcomes and that reserves exist precisely for such contingencies.
Board and administration also noted an unused $16,000 fund originally moved for middle-school field trips; a public commenter suggested repurposing those funds to reduce costs for the Washington, D.C. trip for students, and the administration said they would review the use of those monies and report back.
Procedural outcome and next steps: The audit committee will review the UPK funding questions; the district posted the universal pre-K curriculum to carmelschools.org and pledged further transparency; the $50,000 certiorari transfer was approved by the board.
