NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle voters will decide May 19 whether to approve a $370,369,165 City School District budget for 2026-27 that includes a 1.85 percent property tax levy increase and about 80 full-time equivalent position reductions.
The district said the proposal was built to address a difficult financial picture while maintaining programs and preserving expanded special education options.
In budget materials shared with the community, the district said, “The City School District of New Rochelle is much more than buildings; it is the heartbeat and future of our community.” The document also said, “On May 19, the New Rochelle community will vote on a proposed budget designed to navigate a challenging financial landscape.”
Polls are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
According to the district document, the proposed spending plan reflects a $10,900,568 increase, or 3.03 percent, from the current budget. The tax levy increase would remain within the state tax cap and is less than half of the percentage approved by voters last year, according to the district. The district said a $22.5 million gap would exist if all current staff and programming were carried over.
To close that gap, the district said it is “making the incredibly difficult decision to reduce positions by approximately 80 full-time equivalent positions (FTEs).” The document added, “We do not take this lightly; our educators and staff are the backbone of our schools.” It also said the plan calls for rebalancing class sizes while keeping them within current optimal ranges.
The district attributed the budget pressure in part to a net state aid decrease of $2,091,105 from last year. According to the budget materials, changes to the state foundation aid formula reduced per-student funding and had a disproportionate effect on New Rochelle because of high property values and higher-than-average incomes compared with the rest of New York State.
The document also listed other cost increases beyond the district’s control, including a $2.7 million jump in transportation costs, a $5.6 million increase in health and dental insurance costs, and an anticipated $648,601 impact from a new charter school. The district said another charter school is seeking to locate within district boundaries, in addition to the $3.2 million already budgeted for charter schools.
The budget materials said some reduced positions would come from vacant or soon-to-be-vacant roles to limit the impact on current staff.
The proposal would continue programs including Kaleidoscope, Robotics, Performing and Visual Arts in Education, Advanced Placement, Science Research, Speech and Debate, Career and Technical Education Pathways, K-12 social-emotional supports, magnet programs, extracurricular activities and athletics.
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