The Newburgh Enlarged City School District Board of Education approved the district budget for the 2023-2024 school year with a 6-2 vote at $335.4 million. This figure reflects proposed estimated revenue for the district, remediation work to the high school boys’ locker rooms and no increase to the tax levy for the eighth year in a row. Dr. Jackielyn Manning-Campbell, superintendent of schools, and Assistant Superintendent of Finance Kimberly Rohring presented the budget once again to the board on April 11.

According to Manning-Campbell, going into the 2023-2024 school year with the budget, the three district priorities included student literacy, sustainability of programs following use of COVID funds and student and staff security and safety. For the proposed 2023-2024 budget of an estimated $335.4 million, $157.3 million was allocated towards salaries, $97.3 million was allocated towards employee benefits, $11.7 million for debt service, $24.5 million for tuition, $22.4 million for transportation and $21.9 million for textbooks and other materials.

The previously adopted budget sees a $30.6 million increase over the previous year. As reported last year, the district budget was approved at a total of $305 million for the 2022-2023 academic year, a total increase of 4%. The district budget was prepared awaiting the final numbers from the New York State budget that was seeking approval by April 1. The state budget was still awaiting final approval.

Discussing further financials, the estimated district revenue, according to the budget report, receives funding from the three sources: state aid, local funding and federal funding. As presented, the state aid funding would account for 64% of the district budget, local aid at 35% of the budget and only 1% of the district budget comes from the federal government.

With the Foundation Aid, aka state funding, according to Rohring, surveys were sent out to student parents and guardians to inquire about how to use those funds. 26.31% wished to see the funds used for $0 increase in the tax levy. 28.94% would like to see the maintaining of current student programs, extracurricular activities and athletic events. 14.47% wished to maintain the current staffing levels. 19.73% wished to see specified programs provided for students with disabilities for their academic and social development and 10.52% wished to see additional support for English Language Learners.

The district had also sent out surveys to the district faculty/staff for their input on the usage of the Foundation Aid. 24.2% of staff wished to see the funds used for $0 increase in the tax levy. 10.82% of staff would like to see the maintaining of current student programs, extracurricular activities and athletic events. 35.03% of staff would like to see the maintaining of current student programs, extracurricular activities and athletic events. 14.64% of staff wished to see specified programs provided for students with disabilities for their academic and social development and 15.28% of staff wished to see funds used to support English Language Learners.

Rohring said the Foundation Aid increase would be used for maintaining current programs for such as English Language Learners and Exceptional Learner students, retaining instructional staff for smaller classes and individualized instruction and for extracurricular activities and athletics. All of these usages will be done without an increase to the tax levy. Mandated district expenses for the district also discussed include tuition, special education programs, English as a New Language services, testing, various district insurance, district legal fees, custodial and maintenance of district buildings and properties, transportation, contractual salary increases for district employees, employee health insurance, employee benefits and retirement contributions, instructional materials, the annual budget vote and audit services. Further usage of district funds in 2023-2024 included repairs to elevator components at Temple Hill and Fostertown; a new public address system at Meadow Hill, Temple Hill, Vails Gate and NFA North, playground repairs and equipment installation, replacement of damaged or missing fencing; stage floor repairs at Gidney Ave, New Windsor, Vails Gate and South Middle; replacement of gym wall pads; power back-up for the district data center; and the addition of two district wide school monitors. Other uses included the support of a Teaching Assistant to Teacher Certification Masters program partnership, English as a New Language certification, Education Law 2D compliance needs, district cybersecurity, maintaining instructional software licenses, instructional materials, the Exceptional Learners program, the reduction of five directors and two building administrator positions and a proposed five-year transportation contract.

According to the district budget, the district had reduced budgets for materials and supplies across the district and services from the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) have been eliminated for the upcoming year. No layoffs of teachers were announced yet several personnel reductions were included for the upcoming year. The district presented the following positions as part of the personnel reductions: two Academic Intervention Services Teachers, one Assistant Principal, three cleaners, the Director of Guidance and Data, the Director of Pupil Personnel, the Director of Science, the Director of Social Studies, the Director of Technology, two guidance counselors, an Instructional Coach, four Instructional Technology Facilitators, a junior accountant, a Micro Computer Tech, a psychologist, two social workers, a Special Education Teacher, a Supervisor of Physical Education & Health, two typists and a Vice Principal. Manning-Campbell clarified that the district again is not laying off any teachers, but rather repurposing them in the district.

With the reduction of these positions, the district would look to add a Director of Secondary Education. The district has also proposed remediations to the Newburgh Free Academy Main Campus boys’ locker room. According to Rohring, this specific work was not included in the May 2019 Capital Bond Proposition. In order to move forward with this work, the district would need district voters to approve usage of the capital reserve funds for the expenses associated. No new tax burden would be anticipated for the completion of this work.

The district budget, which saw no changes since the meeting on April 11, will go for a final public vote on May 16. All documents are on the district website at BoardDocs.com for public review.