South Glens Falls Central School District residents will vote on Tuesday, May 20, on a proposed $74,647,442 budget for the 2025-26 school year. This plan includes a 2.71% spending increase over the current year’s budget.
If approved, the budget will raise the tax levy by 2.85%, which is below the district’s state-imposed limit of 3.51%. Although final assessment figures won’t be available until August, it is projected that homeowners with a $100,000 assessment would see an annual tax increase of approximately $35.
The budget aims to maintain current staff levels and programs, ensuring that recent initiatives, such as free breakfast for all students and no-cost school supplies for elementary students, continue.
“As always, the South Glens Falls Central School District is fully committed to providing the best possible education and programming, while ensuring we are meeting our fiscal responsibility to our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Kristine Orr. “This budget achieves that balance and keeps the tax levy increase within the tax cap limit.”
Voters will also elect three members to the board of education and vote to fund up to $2 million into a bus reserve. This will be funded over the next 10 years from excess fund balance and have no tax impact. This reserve will be used to supplement future bus purchases from increased costs.
Summer Programming and Book Bus
This budget includes the last year for RECOVS funding for the district. RECOVS funds were introduced by New York state in 2023 as a way to help districts recover from the COVID-19 shutdown. The monies focus on mental health programs.
The funds have helped South Glens Falls to implement its successful free summer classes for all students and the popular summer Bulldog Book Bus. The district was also able to introduce several new positions, including peer mediation specialists.
With the funding ending in 2025-26, the district has been working to find alternative funding for these positions. So far, it has been concluded that through attrition and declining enrollment, several of these new positions will become permanent.
“Our summer enrichment program has been incredibly effective in maintaining students’ knowledge between school years,” said Tim Dawkins Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. “Families have truly embraced these opportunities wholeheartedly, and we are committed to continuing them each year.”
Electric Bus Transition
The budget includes the purchase of four electric buses. The district has obtained several grants to help cover the cost of the project.
“The district has been working to gradually build our fleet of electric buses. We have put a particular focus on obtaining grants to cover most or all of the cost of these purchases. By following this method, we have been able to comply with upcoming state regulations, while at the same time avoiding placing an additional burden on taxpayers,” said Assistant Superintendent of Business Kevin Fottrell.
The district purchased its first four electric buses this current school budget year, and they are on track to be in use by September 2025. Beginning in 2027, state law mandates that all new school buses purchased must not run on diesel fuel.
By 2035, a complete transition to electric-powered bus fleets will be required. The district is looking to get fully ahead of these new mandates.