Seaford Board of Education trustees presented a first draft of a proposed district budget for the 2025-26 academic year at their recent meeting on Feb. 12.
The board did not release a total amount for its proposal, and will instead unveil information to the public about the budget gradually. The next budget presentation will be held on March 12, and the final presentation will be on March 26. The proposed budget will then be on April 9 before a hearing on May 7. Seaford community members will then be able to vote on the budget for the upcoming school year on May 20.
Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Andrew Casale started the presentation by reviewing the district’s tax levy for the 2025-26 academic year. The district will have an allowable tax levy limit of $61,538,116 which is a 2.68% increase from this year. Seaford proposed a $61,425,198 tax levy which is a 2.49% increase from this year.
The board then went over the major expenditures for the upcoming school year. It listed contractual salaries (which makes up roughly 75% of the budget), health insurance (which has increased by 74% since 2016), transportation (the district predicts a 20% to 30% increase for next year), and other things like utilities, insurance premiums and teacher and educational services.
According to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s January proposal, the Seaford School District would receive $21,000,753. Of that amount, the district is proposed to get $12,573,378 in foundation aid, which is a 2% increase from the 2024-25 academic year. The state budget will be approved prior to the finalization of the district’s budget.
The 2024-25 budget vote passed two propositions, a roof replacement at Seaford Middle School and a 10-year $30 million capital reserve fund for future projects. The capital reserve will help cover the costs, to an unknown amount, for the two new propositions on this year’s vote.
One proposition will deal with infrastructure repairs to the roofs of Seaford Manor Elementary School and Seaford Harbor School, as well as repairs to the Seaford High School courtyard.
The other proposition deals with safety and security upgrades throughout the district. The proposition includes installing door-ajar systems at the middle school and high school, upgrading security cameras and possibly a new elevator, although Casale said that will need to be figured out.
The Seaford School District operated with a $83.5 million budget for the 2024-25 academic year.
