On Tuesday, May 18, residents will vote on the Valley Central School District’s Proposed 2021-2022 Budget, which features a 3.48 percent budget to budget increase.

The proposed budget totals $112,200,000 and maintains all programs for the district’s students while staying under the tax cap and maximizing state aid. The Proposed 2021-2022 Tax Levy stays within the tax levy limit for 2021-2022 at 2.86 percent.

“We have worked diligently to develop a fiscally responsible, balanced budget that supports educational programs, accounts for rising costs, preserves an adequate fund balance and is mindful of the financial impact to taxpayers, while at the same time ensuring the stability and the long-term health of our schools,” said Superintendent of Schools John Xanthis.

Next year’s budget incorporates culturally inclusive teaching in order to meet the needs of all students and supports the hands-on Science 21 Curriculum. In addition, the budget includes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) labs and STEM curriculum for grades K-5. It also supports the electives at the secondary level and maintains the district’s music and art programs. In next year’s budget, there is a focus on mental health and social-emotional learning. The budget will provide an expanded summer school program to address learning gaps.

There are three parts to the Proposed 2021-2022 Budget: the Program Budget, the Capital Budget and the Administrative Budget.

The Program Budget totals $93,125,013, which is 83 percent of the total budget. The Program Budget includes the salaries and benefits of all teachers, guidance counselors, aides, monitors, psychologists, nurses, social workers and speech therapists. Also included are the costs associated with all the instruction and extra-curricular programs.

The Capital Budget totals $9,795,636, which is nine percent of the total budget. The Capital Budget includes debt service on buildings, bus purchases, tax certiorari and court-ordered costs as well as operations and maintenance costs including custodial staff.

Lastly, the Administrative Budget totals $9,279,351, which is eight percent of the total budget. The Administrative Budget includes the salaries and benefits of all professional members who spend 50 percent or more of their time in administration and supervision. Also included are: clerical staff; public information; curriculum development and supervision; research, planning, and evaluation; legal services; and school board-related costs.

There are three sources of revenue for the budget: state aid, the tax levy and other sources. For the budget for the upcoming school year, the district earned $38,317,970 (34 percent of the budget) from state aid and $65,213,763 (58 percent of the budget) from the tax levy. The final eight percent of the budget was gathered from other sources.

The Proposed 2021-2022 Budget aligns with the District Strategic Goals. It aligns with the aspiration of Valley Central being rated in the top five schools in Orange County at the best value for the community. Valley Central provides an education to the community’s children and at the same time its per pupil spending level is the third lowest in Orange County.

“Molding the next generation of the Valley Central community is a momentous responsibility,” Xanthis said. “But we work hard every day to create a school district that we remain proud of – a great place for children.”