Budget
Thanks to strong community support, the South Orangetown Central School District 2019-2020 school budget passed with 77% of the vote on May 21, 2019! The approved budget totals $94,755,161, reflects a 3.2% budget-to-budget increase and remains within the tax cap with a 3.72% tax levy increase.
Cara Stepanian was elected and incumbent Dan Lamadrid was re-elected to the Board of Education. Their three-year terms begin July 1, 2019 and conclude June 30, 2022.
Budget Background
At its April 11, 2019 meeting, the Board of Education adopted the 2019-20 school budget, which totals $94,755,161 and reflects a 3.2% budget-to-budget increase and a 3.72% tax levy increase. The tax levy increase remains within the cap due to the increase in the consumer price index and capital exclusions.
“This year, as we reviewed program and operational needs for 2019-2020 and beyond, we looked for opportunities to fill in gaps and tie key short-term goals with our long-term strategic plan,” says Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Pritchard. “A key piece of this effort has been reimagining how to utilize our current staff more effectively and leveraging efficiencies found elsewhere to create new positions to address emerging needs.”
Specifically, the proposed 2019-20 school budget includes:
- The creation of prevention centers at South Orangetown Middle School and Tappan Zee High School, each staffed by a dedicated prevention counselor to provide enhanced supports for students and their families;
- The addition of one elementary school counselor to serve students at both William O. Schaefer Elementary School and Cottage Lane Elementary School;
- The addition of a Director of Safety, Security and Compliance focused on student and staff safety;
- The addition of a Coordinator of Data, Assessment and Accountability to inform data-driven decision-making and meet reporting requirements; and,
- More classroom redesigns to promote innovative and collaborative teaching and learning.
“The budget adopted by our Board of Education will support SOCSD in meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of students, complying with state and federal regulations, and making program enhancements,” Dr. Pritchard notes. “It reflects both a more creative approach to utilizing our limited resources for maximum long-term impact and our commitment to minimizing the burden on our taxpayers.”
2019-20 Budget Materials
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view forms posted below in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and may be downloaded free from the Adobe website. Unable to access the forms? Please contact the Business Office for assistance.
- 2019-2020 Budget Newsletter
- 2019-2020 Proposed Budget Frequently Asked Questions
- 2019-2020 Budget Video
- 2019-20 Adopted Budget Presentation to SOCES/SOMS PTAs (April 16, 2019)
- Line-By-Line Proposed 2019-2020 Budget (April 11, 2019)
- 2019-20 Preliminary Budget Presentation to the Board of Education (March 14, 2019)