FOR RELEASE: May 22, 2024
New York voters approved 97.3% of proposed school district budgets on Tuesday, May 21, according to preliminary results compiled by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).
"New York voters continue to support their school budgets in large numbers, and our Association greatly appreciates that support," said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert Schneider. "Voters understand that their boards of education are crafting spending plans that maximize student services and programs while balancing the ability of their local taxpayers to pay."
Despite increasing costs, school districts were able to limit their tax levy increases to an average of 2.58% statewide while holding their proposed spending increases to 3.58%.
NYSSBA gathered results for 671 of the 675 districts statewide that hold budget votes. A total of 653 school district budgets were approved by voters, while 18 were defeated, which represents a 97.3% approval rate. Where budgets were defeated, school districts may again put a budget before voters on June 18.
Statewide, 32 districts sought approval to override their property tax caps this year, meaning their proposed budgets needed a 60% "supermajority" approval to pass. Of those seeking an override, 22 budgets passed and 10 failed, a 68.8% approval rate. Since the tax cap was introduced in 2012, about two-thirds of budgets requiring an override have been approved on the first try.
For the 639 districts whose budget was within the tax cap and needed support from only a majority of voters for budget passage, 631, or 98.7% passed on the first try.
Also on Tuesday, voters selected candidates to fill school board seats. Preliminary data indicate that from the 508 reporting districts, 60% of winning candidates are incumbents and 40% are new electees. NYSSBA will provide a more in-depth analysis of school board elections once more data is available.