What's the plan to upgrade Malverne schools? Find out what officials want to do in Malverne and West Hempstead.

Voters head to the polls on May 16 to elect trustees to their local school boards and decide the fate of proposed school budgets. In many cases, schools also have additional propositions on the ballot.

In Malverne, the district is seeking voter approval to spend $1,120,000 from a capital reserve fund to buy new lockers at the high school and middle school; install a new roof at Maurice W. Downing Primary School; and repair the tennis court at the high school.

The proposition has no impact on the tax levy or tax rate since the money already exists in the capital reserve fund. State law requires voter approval to spend capital reserve money.

The proposed 2023-24 Malverne school budget is $68.6 million. The proposed tax increase is 1.85 percent, under the state’s tax cap, which fluctuates based on local factors. Malverne received $15 million in state aid for the 2023-24 budget.

District officials said if the budget is approved, they will be able to expand technology and language programs for students.

“In Spanish, we will be moving into the sixth grade for the first time,” Superintendent Lorna Lewis said in a February story in the Herald. With this proposal, foreign language would be part of the curriculum from grades 3-12.

The West Hempstead school district does not have additional propositions on the ballot. The school district is seeking voter approval for a $74,125,176 budget that would raise taxes 1.99 percent, under the state’s tax cap.

West Hempstead received $16.8 million in state aid for the 2023-24 budget. If this year’s budget is approved by voters, the district will continue its science and math initiatives, in addition to several others to enhance the quality of education.

Superintendent Daniel Rehman said West Hempstead hopes to continue to improve education while upgrading buildings and services.

"The school district is eagerly preparing for the upcoming budget vote on Tuesday, May 16, which presents a valuable opportunity to invest in critical school and community programs and services that will enhance the quality of education for all school-age students,” Rehman said in a statement to the Herald.

West Hempstead was the only district that suffered a defeated budget on Long Island last year. The district’s revised budget was approved a month later.

Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 16 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in both districts. In Malverne, voting takes place in the Howard T. Herber Middle School gym. The school’s address is 75 Ocean Ave. In West Hempstead voting takes place in the West Hempstead Secondary School gym. The school’s address is 400 Nassau Blvd.