The Plainview-Old Bethpage School District has seen a large increase in enrollment over the past few years which has led to the Board of Education proposing a 3.86% increase for the 2025-26 academic budget with a 2.75% tax levy increase. The district’s state tax levy cap for the 2025-2026 school year is 3.62%.
“For every one kid that exits the district, another two enroll,” Chris Donarummo, the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources and safety, said.
The district is proposing a $197,404,372 budget for the 2025-26 school year, marking a $7.3 million increase from its current budget. It had 4,972 students during the 2020-21 school year, a number which jumped to 5,629 students during the current school year.
The district predicts kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes having an average class size of 20 students, third- and fourth-graders having an average class size of 24 students and fifth- and sixth-grade classes having an average class size of 25 students. The district predicts it will have 51 fewer students at its two middle schools next year, but there will be a slight eight-student increase at the high school.
Trustee Jared Goerke acknowledged that the district’s buildings are within the board’s guidelines for class sizes, but that the number has continued to get closer to the maximum amount of students allowed per class.
The district said it will have a slight increase in staffing at Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School while staffing will stay relatively the same at Mattlin Middle School. The high school will also see a slight increase in staffing.
The district also discussed upcoming improvements to its Human Resources Department. The district said the department will implement a way for staff to verify their demographic data and electronically acknowledge receipt of annual required policies. It will also convert the office’s paper-based systems into automated, digital systems that can be accessed by other departments in the district.
The board discussed its safety and security portion of the budget as well, highlighting the $161,840 jump to a $325,300 proposal. Chris Dillion, the district’s assistant superintendent for business said major drivers in the increase include the replacement of 50 security cameras as well as a security vehicle and the addition of more servers for the cameras.
Dillion and Mary O’Meara, the district’s superintendent, showed their support for the current proposal of the budget while also pointing out the danger that lies in a budget that is struck down by voters. Board members said that a budget not approved by voters would create a lack of funding, which could translate into potential staff cuts, redistricting and other setbacks for the district.
The board will adopt the budget on April 23 and community members can vote on the proposed budget on Tuesday, May 20. Voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Jamaica Avenue School and Mattlin Middle School.
