Saturday, June 21, 2025
The Freeport school district has adopted a $250.9 million budget for the 2025-26 school year, preserving all existing programs, adding instructional staff and investing in capital improvements — without increasing the tax levy.
The tax levy is the total amount the school district needs to collect from local taxpayers after accounting for all other sources of revenue.
Voters in the district will head to the polls on May 20, when they will decide whether to approve or reject the total $250,942,714 spending plan.
For the 10th time in 11 years, the district will see a zero percent increase in the tax levy, which would stand at $87.1 million, or $3.5 million below the state’s allowable limit.
“This year’s ballots will have the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 spending plan at a quarter of a billion dollars,” Ben Roberts, assistant superintendent for personnel and human resources, said during the district’s April 9 budget meeting, held at Caroline G. Atkinson Intermediate School.
Shuron Jackson, vice president of the school board, wholeheartedly endorsed the spending plan.
“Everything that we do and propose for next year is really to support all of our wonderful students and the programs and the educational opportunities that we provide here at Freeport,” he said.
“Our goal of district is to continue to provide these world-class educational opportunities and services for all of our Freeport students and families, meeting the varied educational needs of our students, while at the same time being fiscally responsible as a school community and school district,” Jackson added.
The proposed budget is divided into three components: $195.2 million for programs, $28.2 million for capital projects and $27.5 million for administrative costs.
According to Ido Ganepe, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, roughly $213 million of the total is already committed to fixed costs, including salaries, transportation and benefits.
“Most of the entries in these categories are beyond the district control,” he said.“They are based on contractual agreement, changing rates cost of living adjustment, as well as financial market condition.”
Transportation costs are projected to increase by $4.5 million due to a 30 percent anticipated market increase and the inclusion of a $1.3 million voter-approved transportation expansion. Special education services will also rise by $1.2 million.
Glory Angle, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said all current programs would be continued in the upcoming year, with several new initiatives added as part of the proposed budget. Among them is a third-grade phonics program aligned with the state’s Science of Reading initiative, which aims to strengthen foundational literacy skills.
For grades K–6, the district is also renewing the Math Expressions curriculum, which was introduced in 2023 and, according to the district, has led to a 15 percent increase in math proficiency across the district.
The Calculus Project, which helps students of color and low-income students access AP calculus, would be continued with professional development, instructional software and student resources.
Other upgrades would include online TI-84 calculator licenses, updated world language and AP psychology textbooks, elementary science materials and support for a JV girls’ flag football team.
The budget also includes the implementation of Magic School AI, a digital tool designed specifically for educators. The software aims to streamline tasks like lesson planning and content differentiation, helping teachers save time and focus more on student engagement.
In addition, under the proposed budget, new staff positions would be created, including a special-education teacher at John W. Dodd Middle School, an English as a New Language teacher at Giblyn Elementary School, and a speech and language therapist shared between Giblyn and Bayview Avenue School. Other positions that would be added include two district-wide security guards, a custodian, JV coaches for flag football and volleyball, as well as several teacher leadership stipends.
Among the capital improvements, the district is proposing a $7 million transfer in funds to pay for HVAC upgrades at Archer Street School and Freeport High School, roof replacements at Archer, district-wide waterproofing, masonry and bathroom renovations and window replacements.
A second proposition on the ballot would authorize the use of $2.5 million from the capital reserve fund for additional maintenance projects.
“Although the district will make every effort to complete as many projects on this list as possible,” Ganepe said, “the total amount of projects completed will depend on the market condition and the pricing that is received following the bidding process.”
The district’s state aid allocation for 2025–26 is $146,167,717, a net increase of $446,245 over the previous year, which accounts for about 60 percent of annual revenue for balancing the district budget.
Also on the ballot will be the proposed 2025–26 budget of about seven million dollars for the Freeport Memorial Library, which the library director Lee Ann Moltzen will present during a public hearing on May 7 at Caroline G. Atkinson School at 7:30 p.m.
Voters will cast their ballots on the proposed school budget, the capital reserve proposition, and the library budget on May 20, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
To find out your voting site or for more information contact the district clerk at (516) 867-5209. More can be learned about the district at FreeportSchools.org.
