Onteora Central School District voters approved a $66.5 million budget Tuesday, May 19, giving the district permission to increase spending by about 4.5% for the 2026-27 school year.
Unofficial results showed the budget passed 478–194, with about 71% of voters supporting the proposal. A separate proposition authorizing the district to establish a capital reserve fund of up to $10 million over 10 years also passed, 482–186.
Three candidates were also elected to three seats on the Board of Education. Caroline Jerome received 514 votes, Aubrey O’Neal received 507 votes, and Faedra Dagirmanjian received 213 votes.
The spending plan, which covers the fiscal year from July 1 through June 30, 2027 totals $66,481,500. District officials had said the budget would allow Onteora to maintain academic and extracurricular programs, counseling and mental health support, special education services, technology infrastructure, and curriculum materials aligned with state standards without cutting staff.
“I would like to sincerely thank our community for its support of the school budget and capital reserve proposition,” Superintendent Victoria McLaren said. “This budget allows us to continue providing the high-quality educational opportunities that our community values, while maintaining our long-standing commitment to staying at or below the state tax cap.”
The capital reserve fund will allow the district to use surplus fund balance to pay for renovations, improvements, equipment, furnishings, zero-emission school buses, and related infrastructure over the next decade. The fund is capped at $10 million.
The district’s budget materials had highlighted several planned initiatives, including strengthened early literacy instruction through a phonics resource aligned with science of reading research, staffing for a new middle/high school security vestibule, and capital work that includes elevator repairs, high school hallway asbestos removal and ceiling replacement, and completion of the middle school gym renovation.
“We are proud to serve a community that consistently demonstrates its commitment to students,” McLaren said. “Tonight’s vote reflects the shared value our community places on supporting children and protecting the long-term strength and sustainability of the Onteora Central School District.”
Final vote tallies will be certified by the Board of Education at its next meeting, on Tuesday, June 2.
This is a developing story.