2025-26 Budget and Board Election
On Tuesday, May 20, Niskayuna Central School District voters passed a $116,121,281 budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year by a vote of 968-621. Under the approved budget, the district will maintain all existing services and programs and offer $2.45 million in new investments that result in the creation of 20.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions.
In addition, voters approved a $1,685,931 proposition for the purchase of nine new buses, 1,075-513, including one 30 passenger wheelchair diesel bus, two 36 passenger diesel buses and six 77 passenger, full size diesel buses.
Voters elected Kimberly Tully (1,205 votes), Judith Tomisman (1,121 votes) and Elisabeth Cococcia (1,130 votes) to fill three open seats on the Niskayuna CSD Board. The board members elected are volunteers who will serve three year terms. The terms of the individuals elected this year will begin on July 1, 2025.
2025-26 Three-part budget
All public schools in New York State are required by law to report their spending in three categories: program, administrative and capital.
Program Component
$86,538,449/74.5%
Program includes salaries and benefits of teachers, school counselors, aides, nurses, etc.; teaching supplies, equipment and textbooks; library and instructional computer funds; athletics expenses; and transportation costs (except bus purchases).
Administrative Component
$1,007,902/10.3%
Administrative includes salaries and benefits of administrators who spend most of their time performing supervisory duties; insurance costs; legal expenses; public information; and board of education expenses.
Capital Component
$964,616/15.2%
Capital includes debt service on buildings; bus purchases; tax certiorari and court ordered costs; custodial costs including salaries and benefits of maintenance workers; and all facilities costs, including supplies, utilities, repairs and renovations.
2025-26 Budget Priorities
In Niskayuna, the annual school budget is a reflection of the school district’s strategic direction, values and priorities. The district strives to balance needed and desired investments in education with responsiveness to taxpayers.
In December 2024, the district asked students, families and staff what are the most important things our district needs to think about in order to support all students. The responses helped the district plan a budget that reflects the priorities of its many groups.
At its Jan. 28, board of education meeting, the Niskayuna Central School District approved the following budget priorities:
Further a strong academic program that supports student growth and exploration
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- Focus on core curriculum consistency, support, resources at the elementary level
- Refine academic support models at each level (across all tiers)
- Continue to align Special Education programming with student needs
- Provide robust support for professional development connected to strategic initiatives
- Expand Prekindergarten programming to provide more opportunities for four-year old learners – classrooms at multiple sites
Strengthen and expand safety and security measures, protocols and planning
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- Expand District Security Team (greater coverage districtwide) and reinstate School Resource Officer programming
- Continue to implement 2024 Security Assessment recommendations
- Year 2 implementation of Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (research-based C-STAG model)
Successfully transition to our reconfigured Middle Schools
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- Provide for staffing needs in all areas for Grade 6 only at VA and Grades 7-8 at Iroquois
- Year 1 implementation of program recommendations from Middle School Redesign Team
Support student mental health, well-being and social-emotional learning
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- Ensure adequate student mental health support
- Continue to support and build capacity for Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools
- Support successful implementation of new cell phone policy/practices
Promote Niskayuna as an “Employer of First Choice” in the Capital Region
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- Continue to evaluate of and invest in salary and wage competitiveness
- Strategic use of resources to enhance the Employee Experience
- Perform outreach across the community, region and beyond to build a diverse workforce