Hicksville Board of Education trustees updated the estimated deficit that the district is currently facing in the process of creating a 2025-26 academic budget, slashing the shortage by more than half, at their recent meeting on Wednesday, March 19.
The district showed an updated version of what its proposed budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year may be. As of March 5, the district projected a $6,917,695 deficit from its $178,811,424 max budget. That number then shifted to $3,802,745 one day later and is now $2,972,077.
The nearly $3 million deficit would be present in the tax levy scenario that the board presented at its second budget meeting that would not pierce the cap. The district said it will have $1,750,000 to use in reserves to offset the deficit and that it can exceed the cap tax levy cap and have a lower levy by using the allotted money, which is what is done in scenarios two and three.
The board presented three scenarios at its second budget meeting for the district’s tax levy for the 2025-26 school year – one that would not override the tax levy cap and two that would.
The first scenario would have the district meet 100% of the proposed $119,406,174 tax levy cap. The other two scenarios would have $119,406,174 and $119,356,174 tax levies with $117,656,174 and $117,656,174 tax levy caps, respectively.
The district said that by simply using the $1,750,000 and not piercing the cap, this one-time use of funding would not close the deficit, which would result in cuts to staffing, programs, supplies, materials and use of facilities.
The district listed several staffing retirees and said that not filling those positions would help it cut into the deficit. The district anticipates it will operate with 24 fewer teaching assistants and aids during the 2025-26 school year.
The district said it also expects to pay $41,951,798.00 in employee benefits next year, which is a 5% increase.
The district will hold its fourth budget meeting on March 26 when it will continue to discuss strategic goals, instruction, staffing and benefits.
