Monday, May 12, 2025
Spring is here, which also means it’s school budget time.
School spending plans will be decided on May 20. Now is the time for everyone to take part in what is one of the most local ways to exercise civic responsibility. Not only is a school budget vote as local as it gets, but its impact is also important for everyone in the community.
Did you know that district administrators begin the following year’s budget process at the start of the school year? In October we begin to build our budgets, anticipating what the future may hold. What will enrollment look like? What will the economy look like?
What will state aid revenue be? What do families want for their students? How is our infrastructure holding up? These are just a handful of the many questions we ask as we work to ensure our students’ future success while remaining fiscally responsible to the community.
The largest portion of any school budget is directly related to student instruction. Seventy to 80 percent of the budget represents the program component, or the salaries and benefits for teachers and staff that serve students each day. School districts should provide a competitive wage to all employees so they can afford to live in the local communities near where they work. This is essential for recruiting and retaining the best employees for our children so that students can succeed now and into the future.
Roughly 10 percent of the budget is the administrative component, for the general operation and management of the school district. The remaining 10 to 15 percent is the capital component, for transportation and facilities costs.
Families with school-age children have the most direct stake in the school budget process. The spending plan will outline what class sizes are projected to be. It will indicate what services, and how many, will be available in schools — special education, reading and math, multilingual learner, and mental health support. Sports, music, art, library, clubs, assemblies, and field trips are all funded in the budget, as are necessary capital improvements — new roofs, ceilings, floors, lighting, ADA compliance and masonry maintenance, to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.
Lastly, the spending plan will inform us about what is new and innovative. New playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, classroom redesign, and the latest technological improvements may all be part of the budget.
Did you know that public school district budgets include funding for private and charter schools? Students whose families choose to send them to private schools have a personal stake in the public-school budget process. The costs of transportation, textbooks and nursing services are all covered by public-school budgets.
In our area, property values are closely tied to the performance of neighborhood schools. People choose to buy homes in specific areas because of the reputation of the school district. Whether you’re invested in your home or plan to buy or sell, taking part in, and understanding, the school budget process should be at the top of your list.
Residents should know how much a district is asking to raise its tax levy. The state tax cap helps keep home ownership affordable in New York. School districts must aim to craft their budgets as closely as possible to what they anticipate their expenditures will be. While employee raises, instructional enhancements and capital projects are important, so is balancing affordability for taxpayers. The tax levy is an important indicator of a balanced and fiscally responsible spending plan that keeps a district moving forward without unnecessarily burdening taxpayers.
Over the next month, school districts across the state will be presenting their 2025-26 budgets to their communities. Whether you’re a family with a child in school or a homeowner, now is the time to find out what’s is in the budget, so you make an informed decision in May. Review the budget information page on your district website. Attend a budget hearing in May, and read the budget newsletter that is sent home to district residents. If you have a question, reach out to the district business official.
Most important, ensure that your voice is heard by participating in the budget vote and trustee elections on May 20. Your active engagement in this important process will help shape your community next year and for years to come.
Judith A. LaRocca, Ed.D., is superintendent of Valley Stream Union Free School District 13.
