The Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District is proposing a $205.8 million budget for the 2026-2027 academic year, marking an $8.4 million, or 4.25% increase from the current school year’s $197.4 million budget.
The district held its first of several budget presentations at its board of education meeting on Monday, Feb. 9, proposing a $205,796,460 budget for the upcoming school year.
“This is an exciting budget because, despite the very difficult times and the escalation of many costs, we are able to present to you a budget that maintains all of the existing academic, extracurricular and co-curricular programs while keeping class sizes within the board guidelines,” Plainview-Old Bethpage Superintendent Mary O’Meara said.
She said the 4.25% increase reflects the cost of maintaining educational excellence while battling inflation and staying within the allowable tax cap.
O’Meara also said the budget includes a $2.5 million transfer to capital for ongoing facilities improvements.
The district has roughly 5,400 students enrolled throughout its buildings, according to its website. According to a calculation by Schneps Media Long Island, based on the proposed budget divided by the total students, the district will spend $38,110.46 per pupil. This calculation does not reflect how the state calculates its aid package for the school system.
O’Meara said inflation has led to increased prices for classroom supplies, food services and building materials and that rising costs to special education programs and technology affected the budget. O’Meara said a 2025 district survey identified roughly $60 million in facility upgrades needed throughout the district, which will be addressed in the coming years.
The district also predicts it will receive $47,161,514 in state aid, $31,548,425 of which will be foundation aid for the 2026-’27 school year. This would mark a 7.76% increase in total state aid and 4.52% increase in foundation aid from the current academic year.
The district also unveiled its first draft of the technology and facilities budgets at the meeting.
Alex Goldberg, the district’s executive director of technology, said the district is proposing a $6,603,339 technology budget, an increase of $342,162, or 5.46%, from the current school budget. He pointed at districtwide instructional software, BOCES technology services and districtwide computer supplies as major drivers for the increase.
Andrew Ward, the district’s director of facilities, said the district is proposing a facilities budget of $5,173,658 for the 2026-2027 school year, which is just $10,196, or 0.20%, more than the current year’s budget.
Ward said the district has recently completed several projects, including a large-scale installation of seven solar panel systems throughout the district, the installation of a new boiler at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School, districtwide upgrades made to classrooms, the modernization of 20 bathrooms across the district, upgrades to the high school’s gym and pool and the insulation of pipes.
He said the solar panel project is already providing relief to the district’s energy costs.
Ward said the district plans to complete ceiling and lighting improvements, replace the high school’s auditorium HVAC units and install a library hallway in the high school during the upcoming summer.
The district currently has $15,471,290 in its capital reserve, according to Christopher Dillon, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.
The district plans to unveil the proposed budget’s tax levy limit at an upcoming meeting. Community members will vote on the budget in May after it is approved by the board of education in April.
