Elmont elementary schools adopt $111M 2023-24 spending plan

The Elmont School District officially adopted its 2023-24 budget of $111.1 million — which is $12.6 million more than the current spending plan.

According to its budget report, Elmont ranked as the fifth-lowest spending district out of 56 school districts in Nassau County.

Elmont has proposed a 0.04 percent decrease in the tax levy, placing it 29 percent below the average county tax levy, on a per-pupil basis.

“We are one of only two school districts on Long Island — us and Freeport — we have lowered taxes for the community,” Kenneth Rosner, Elmont elementary superintendent, said at an Elmont chamber event on April 26. “It wasn’t easy, with all the mandated cost increases that we had, but we have a wonderful Board of Education, a very supportive business official who said this is where we want to be, now let’s work backwards from there.”

Voters will head for the polls on Tuesday, May 16 to determine whether to approve the 2023-24 budget.

The budget is typically split into three parts: administrative, program and capital. Administrative costs consist of funds for the board of education, district clerk, superintendent’s office, curriculum department, legal department and several other offices. The current administrative budget stands at $10.1 million, and under the adopted budget, it would show a slim increase to $10.3 million for 2023-24.

The program budget includes funding for extracurricular activities, transportation, library media centers, school lunch, health services and several other areas. The total funds set aside for programs will be roughly $78.2 million — a $5.4 million hike from this year.

The report detailed an estimated $22.6 million, or a roughly $7.1 million increase, has been reserved for the capital portion — which encompasses buildings and grounds, security, debt service and transfer to capital projects.

Some of the capital improvement highlights include the continuation of a full-day prekindergarten program at all six elementary schools. To keep up with the world’s technological advances, the district plans to replace any outdated digital flat-panel Smart Boards and other technology to enhance classroom instruction.

Other upgrades include replacing more than 70 wireless access points, a new phone system and adding security firewalls to each school building. The district also plans to create and maintain STEM labs at Gotham Avenue, Dutch Broadway and Alden Terrace.

Academic enrichment programs such as Saturday Academy, Summer Enrichment Academy, Model UN and Science Research will continue to receive funding, as well as the 1:1 iPad program.

As part of the district’s five-year curriculum plan, initiatives such as Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Libraries, Go Math! and SPIRE math programs will receive upgrades.

The adopted budget also includes money for major infrastructure investments, such as the installation of new doors and lockdown systems in all the elementary schools, the replacement of playgrounds at Clara H. Carlson and Stewart Manor and the expansion of solar energy systems to reduce electricity costs.

Another significant project will be the expansion and renovation of the Hempstead Turnpike building to consolidate districtwide operations. Once completed, the Elmont Road administrative office will be relocated to the Hempstead Turnpike facility, which, over time, will reduce building costs, security and general operating expenses, as well as taxpayer dollars, the budget report said.

Roughly $360,000 will be invested to replace school buses and vans for student transportation and around $150,000 to replace outdated classroom furniture.

Rosner recently announced that he will leave the Elmont elementary school district at the end of the academic year to become the superintendent of the East Meadow School District in September.

At the event at Elmont Memorial Library, Rosner noted the incredible progress the Elmont elementary school district has made since he took on the superintendent’s role during the height of the pandemic.

“The state of the six elementary schools in Elmont is strong, it’s thriving,” Rosner told the audience. “I became a superintendent during one of the worst times ever seen. I leave with my head held high. I couldn’t be more proud.”

For more information about the Elmont elementary school budget, visit tinyurl.com/Elmont-Budget.