Before residents head to the polls for our annual budget vote and Board of Education election next week, we want to take this opportunity to provide some additional information on important topics that residents will vote on May 20.

The year-over-year spending increase included in our 2025-26 budget proposal is based upon a few unique circumstances that should be noted.

Our budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year calls for an 8.26% or $2,108,652 increase in spending from the current, 2024-25 school year.

About 25% ($524,757) of this $2.1 million increase is the result of increased debt service payments stemming from the capital project voters approved in December 2022. This cost is funded by anticipated building aid from New York State and a transfer from the Debt Service Reserve Fund.  This escalation was planned for as part of the building project and is being funded largely through aid and planned use of a reserve account.

Another significant driver of this proposed $2.1 million year-over-year budget increase is $1,099,012 in teacher and staff salary and benefits costs. Some of this increase is because we’re adding two classroom teachers and a cleaner.  Yet, the escalation is higher year over year because unanticipated and non-required market adjustments to staff compensation were made during the current year.  While this makes us more competitive in the region, it also shows as a larger increase year over year because the 2024-2025 value was an ESTIMATE of salary expense this time last year.  The actual year to year will be less.

The last domain to significantly impact projected expenses is BOCES expenditures.  The district partners with BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education Services) for a variety of services.  Most notably, some of our students access unique educational programming and services that may not be affordable to each component district and/or families.   Our escalation in projected expenses in this area is primarily related to planned changes in student enrollment and increased programming. It is important to note that proper utilization of BOCES services generates expense-based aid revenue the following year. 

Together, anticipated cost increases in these areas account for a large percentage of the increase in expenses.  It is expected that this year-over-year spending will be much lower next year when new aid is generated and salary adjustments will be based only upon the established contractual provisions. 

For more information about our budget proposal, visit our budget webpage or read our budget newsletter at the links below.

If you have any questions, please contact Business Manager Kristen Murphy at (585) 226-2455, ext. 1304 or via email at kmurphy@avoncsd.org or District Clerk Jen VanRy at (585) 226-2455, ext. 1320 or via email at jvanry@avoncsd.org.

Thank you, Avon, and don’t forget to come vote on Tuesday, May 20 in our Middle School Library, 191 Clinton St., between 1 and 9 p.m.!

Budget webpage link: https://www.avoncsd.org/98006_2

Budget newsletter link: https://files.smartsites.parentsquare.com/6228/avon_budget_newsletter_final_2.pdf