Six Positions Eliminated in 283M SCS Budget - Tax Levy Up 295 Percent, Public Vote on May 20

SCHOHARIE - Schoharie school  board members last week adopted a $28.27 million budget for the 2025-26 school year that includes a tax levy hike of 2.95 percent and the reduction of six positions.

Expenditures are up by $649,738 or 2.35 percent, mostly due to three areas: debt services costs for capital improvement projects, health insurance, and tuition costs for students with special needs who have to go to schools outside the district, district business Administrator David Baroody told school members last Wednesday evening.

The public will vote on the spending plan on May 20.

In order to cut spending, reductions in the 2025-26 budget included: 

* Reduction of three full-time equivalent positions at the Elementary School. 

* Reduction of one FTE administrator.

* Reduction of one FTE position, business teacher in the high school.

* Reduction of one FTE position, Special Education teacher in the elementary school.

SCS officials said the reductions were due to declining enrollment.

Superintendent David Blanchard said the reduction of an administration position will result in the district having to reorganize its administration team.

Officials said state aid stood at $15 million, up by $491,000 or 3.38 percent.

A new state budget was approved late Monday night, but as of Tuesday afternoon, SCS officials had not received an update on any additional state aid. "I think there is a lot of concern about federal cuts that could impact state aid distribution in the coming year/years," Superintendent Blanchard said.

If there is additional aid, "I can’t say what the district would do if there was an increase in state aid," he said. "That seems highly unlikely, but we would consider adding back programs that have been cut in the past two years."

Mr. Baroody noted that the increased costs has been concentrated in three areas:

* Employee Benefits, an increase of approximately $441,000.

* Debt Service payments, a hike of  approximately $204,000.

* Continuation of increased tuition cost of about $400,000 over the last two years.

Officials said that over the last two school years, the district as seen a 50 percent increase of students who have moved into the district in need of outplaced special education services.

The budget includes a tax levy of $8.95 million, up $256,675 or 2.95 percent. The tax levy increase is similar to the 2.95 percent inflation rate per the State Education Department, SCS officials said. The tax levy and rate change is within the NYS Tax Cap requirement.

In March, the district was looking at a preliminary budget of $28,752,414, an increase of 4.09 percent or $1,128,493 over the current spending plan.

The public hearing on the district budget will be on May 6 at 6pm in the high school Distance Learning Room (second floor). 

The public vote on the budget will be from noon to 8pm in the high school gym.