Rockville Centre School Budget Preview, Candidates On The Ballot For 2026-27

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — School board and budget elections are Tuesday, May 19, giving Rockville Centre residents the chance to vote on what their school district spends and who serves on its board.

The budget proposed amounts to $141 million, which amounts to a 1.03 percent increase from last year's budget. Of that $141.3 million, 78.35 percent will be allocated to programs, 12.93 percent will be in the capital budget and 8.72 percent will go toward administration. The budget will come with a 2.06 percent tax increase, which district officials said falls within the calculated tax cap.

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In January, the district announced it was facing a $3.78 million budget deficit that would come with “difficult choices” for the coming year. In the ensuing months, the district presented budget proposals that included some of those difficult choices: staffing cuts.

While there are some staff reductions included in the budget, the number of reductions has changed slightly as the board has released different iterations of its budget plans. The most recent budget presented restored 13 positions, with 22 full time teaching positions still slated for elimination from the district. Those reductions will be accompanied by 40 teaching assistant positions and 12 retirements, district officials said.

Also on the ballot May 19 will be school board elections, with three candidates — Christa Dorrego, Janet Gruner and Mary Beth Joyce — running for two seats on the board that come with three-year terms.