Saturday, June 14, 2025
Uniondale residents will head to the polls on May 20 to vote on the proposed $286 million school budget for 2025-26, elect two Board of Education trustees, and weigh in on a proposition involving major capital projects.
Both incumbent board members, Addie Blanco-Harvey and Alvin McDaniel, are running unopposed in this year’s election.
Administrators in the Uniondale School District stressed the importance of passing this year’s school budget, which is essential to maintaining and growing programs that help students thrive — especially those who need extra academic support.
“Residents vote for the budget — they either support it or they vote it down,” Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said. “That’s a pretty big deal.”
If Uniondale voters reject the proposed budget, the district could either put the same budget up for a second vote or make revisions to it before placing it before voters once again.
However, if the spending plan fails a second time, the district would be forced to operate under a contingency budget, which would limit spending to only essential, contractually obligated costs — and do without new programs, the expanded use of facilities, while facing significant cuts to non-mandated services like after-school programs.
Under a contingency plan, the overall level of services and student support would be reduced to the “bare minimum,” according to the superintendent.
One of two propositions on the May 20 ballot is the proposed $286 million budget, which has grown from $235.9 million over the past four years.
During budget presentations in April and May, Mary Martinez-Lagnado, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, reported that the proposed tax levy for 2025-26 includes a 2.5 percent hike, which amounts to a $3.3 million increase from the current budget.
The tax levy is the total amount the district collects from property taxes, which has steadily increased over the years. While inflation doesn’t directly raise the property tax rate, it can drive up school and municipal expenses, influencing how much needs to be budgeted.
Capital improvements on the ballot
Proposition two pertains to the use of $1.5 million from the capital reserve fund, established in 2021, for health and safety repairs, such as lighting and fencing. Even though the expenditure is not part of the general fund budget, it requires voter approval for the district to access the reserve funds, Martinez-Lagnado stressed.
Administrators said the proposed budget was constructed to maintain high quality instruction, expand learning opportunities and continue offering vital mental health and social-emotional support — while presenting different clubs and programs that make the school memorable and meaningful for students.
“Most of us don’t remember what happened in our fifth grade math class, but you remember you were on the soccer team, you remember the relationships, the debate tournament,” Darrisaw-Akil said.
“There are things that might seem like extras — but really provide a well-rounded education, exposure, leadership opportunities for our children and when our funds are limited, we have to look, can we continue to offer some of those items?” she added.
Benefits that make schools strong
Darrisaw-Akil emphasized the importance of maintaining district programs. “There is something for everyone in Uniondale,” she said. “There is a robust music and arts program, science, advanced placement courses, and language opportunities.”
“This is the place where you can discover your passion, discover who you are, and get support to follow your dreams,” she added.
Student performance in Uniondale reflects steady progress and underscores the importance of sustained investment. The district is working to boost math proficiency at the elementary and middle school levels. High school students, however, show the strongest academic gains — with an 83 percent reading proficiency — Currently, the district partners with a wide range of organizations, including Norfolk Hospital, Hofstra University, the Nassau County executive’s office, and the Nassau Bar Association.
“We’re really excited that we have partnership from our county executive’s office, who has been a strong partner to us throughout the years, particularly in the area of workforce development,” Darrisaw-Akil told the Herald in April.
In April, County Executive Bruce Blakeman visited Uniondale High to speak to students about career opportunities that the county offers.
“Those partnerships help to expand our capacity, expand our resources, and really enrich the lives of students, because they’re learning from people who are really in the field — doing those things,” Darrisaw-Akil said.
Challenges the district faces
Charter schools remain a financial challenge for the Uniondale since public schools are obligated to pay charter school tuition for students within their district. “A lot of our challenge is around the growth of the charter schools and the enrollment charter schools, and so that takes a direct hit on the services,” the superintendent said.
The district is paying $27 million in tuition as more than 800 students have left the public school system for charter schools — a shift that significantly strains the district’s budget.
