The school budget

Today’s students are growing up in a global, complex and competitive society that demands much more than a basic education. It is the duty and mission of DCS to provide students with a depth and breadth of educational programs and services that equip them with the skills and knowledge to be college and career-ready. The district also seeks to balance the needs of the community we serve while addressing rising costs.
While budget planning takes on heightened focus from late winter until voting day in May, developing a school budget that both meets student needs and reflects community input is a year-long process. The district encourages the public to be a part of that process and help prepare our students for the future.

COVID-19 -related update: Budget vote via mail-in ballots must be received  at the DCS Central Office by 5 p.m. on June 9

Annual school budget and board of education votes were postponed in March statewide under an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus. In delaying the votes, which were originally scheduled for May 19, the governor’s executive order said, “Any school board, library board, or village election scheduled to take place in April or May of 2020 is hereby postponed until at least June 1, 2020, and subject to further directive as to the timing, location or manner of voting for such elections.”
School budget votes and board of education elections will now be held via mail-in absentee ballots, which must be received at the DCS Central Office by 5 p.m. on June 9, 2020. Please refer to the updated schedule below for details on the budget development and voting process.
Agendas and broadcast information for Board of Education meetings are provided on the Board of Education meetings webpage.

Board of Education adopts proposed $17,565,000 budget at May 20, 2020 meeting – 1.90% tax levy increase is significantly below limit

The Duanesburg Central School District Board of Education adopted a proposed $17,565,000 budget for the 2020-21 school year at their May 20 meeting. 

The proposed budget includes a 1.90% tax levy increase. This is significantly less than the maximum increase allowed by the state. Because the district didn’t exceed the state ‘tax cap,’ approval of the proposed budget requires  a simple majority vote (50 percent plus one vote). The proposed budget would increase spending by $200,000 (1.15 percent) over the current year’s budget.

The proposed budget would support educational programs; cover increased costs for contractual salaries, technology, BOCES needs and transportation; and preserve an adequate fund balance while remaining sensitive to community needs.

District residents will vote on the proposed budget via mail-in, absentee ballot, which will be sent to them and which must be received by 5 p.m. on June 9 at the DCS Central Office. A Board meeting and public hearing on the budget will be held and broadcast remotely on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. 

May 20, 2020 presentation on proposed budget
This is a detailed presentation from the May 20 Board of Education meeting.

Duanesburg Central School District Proposed 2020-21 Budget Documents
These documents include approved 2019-20 revenue and appropriations budgets and proposed 2020-21 revenue and appropriations budgets, property tax report card, school academic report card link (https://data.nysed.gov), audit reports and salary disclosure.  

2020-21: Three vacancies on the Board of Education

District residents will vote via absentee ballot to fill vacancies on the Board of Education for terms beginning July 1, 2020 for: two 3-year terms for seats currently held by Camille Siano Enders and Jennifer Sexton, and one 1-year term for the seat currently filled by Henry “Dirk” Felton due to the resignation of Henrietta “Hank” Dunn (and the prior resignation of Joshua Menzies).

Like the budget vote, this year’s election will be held by mail-in ballot only, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Gov. Cuomo’s executive order. Absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on June 9 at the DCS central office.

All candidates run at-large, rather than for a specific Board seat. The district received one candidate petition for the three open seats; Camille Siano Enders is running for re-election to the Board. Therefore, the qualified residents who receive the highest number of votes, including candidate Siano Enders and valid write-in votes, will win the vacant seats on the Board.

Residents to vote on school bus purchase proposition

When they vote on the proposed 2020-21 school year budget, residents will also vote on a proposition to purchase three school buses at a cost not to exceed $287,000, including a 65-passenger, a 71-passenger and a 32-passenger gasoline-powered bus.
The purchases are part of the district’s planned bus replacement program that keeps the fleet of vehicles that transport our children in safe, working order and in line with New York State safety standards.  Most of the cost of planned replacement vehicles is typically covered by state aid, reducing the cost to taxpayers.
Why replace buses? Read more

How to vote on the 2020-21 school year budget

Budget development calendar

Members of the community are encouraged to attend Board of Education Meetings and Budget Work Sessions, which, due to the Covid-19 pandemic,  are broadcast remotely from March 2020 onward. The calendar below outlines the budget development process.

• Late fall: Board of Education (BOE) reviews Budget Planning Calendar
• December 10, 2019: BOE adopts calendar.
• January 14 & 28, 2020: BOE meetings and budget discussion
• February 11 BOE meeting & budget work session Feb. 11 Draft budget presentation  
• March 10: BOE meeting & budget work session  Mar. 10 Draft budget presentation
• March 24: BOE meeting & community budget presentation March 24 Draft budget discussion – text   March 24 Draft budget presentation
• April 7: BOE meeting & community budget presentation  budget discussion – text     Apr. 7 Draft budget presentation
• April 22: Special BOE meeting to vote on BOCES administrative budget
• May 5: BOE meeting & budget discussion, via remote meeting
• May 11:  Last day to submit BOE candidate petitions for terms beginning July 1, 2020  for: two 3-year terms for seats currently held by Camille Siano Enders and Jennifer Sexton, and one 1-year term for the seat currently filled by Henry “Dirk” Felton due to the resignation of Joshua Menzies (signatures not required due to COVID-19)
• May 12 & TBA: Legal notices placed in local newspapers
• May 20: Board of Education adopts proposed 2020-21 school year budget, via remote meeting
• May 21: Adopted budget information posted to website
• May 22: Informational postcard sent to district residents by this date noting the date of the annual budget vote, public budget hearing and definition of a qualified voter
• May 22: Property tax report card sent to state
• June 2: BOE meeting & public budget hearing (presentation of adopted budget) via remote meeting, adopted budget then made available to public
• May: Absentee ballot applications available
• June 2: Deadline for absentee ballots to be sent to district residents
• TBA: Meet the BOE Candidates Night, sponsored by the PTA
• June 3: Budget notice mailed to all district residents
• June 9: Annual budget vote by absentee ballot, due at the DCS central office by 5 p.m., followed by brief BOE remote meeting to announce vote; approved budget will be posted on website

2019-20 (current school year) budget information

Duanesburg Central School District residents approved the proposed $17,365,000 budget for the 2019-20 school year on May 21, 2019 by a vote of 292 to 82, which is a 78 percent approval. The budget increases spending by $215,000 (1.25%) over the current year’s budget and includes a 0.0 percent (no) increase the tax levy.  Voters also approved a proposition to purchase three gasoline-fueled school buses at a cost not to exceed $290,000, by a vote of 299 to 75, which is a 79.9 percent approval. They elected three district residents to serve on the Board of Education.

Resources – current year 
2019-20 Budget Presentation to Board May 7, 2019

Duanesburg Central School District Proposed 2019-20 Budget Documents
These documents include approved 2018-19 revenue and appropriations budgets and proposed 2019-20 revenue and appropriations budgets, property tax report card, school academic report card link (https://data.nysed.gov), audit reports, salary disclosure, and exemption reports.  

For more budget information and resources, visit the budget resources webpage. 

For assistance accessing any of the documents on this website, contact the DCS central office at (518) 895-2279.

Audit Report

An annual audit of district financials is conducted each fall of the prior year’s expenditures and financial condition.
Duanesburg Financials 2019 Audit Report

Reserve Fund Report

The reserve fund report is an annual document showing the status of reserve funds that are established by the district.
Reserve Fund Report 2018-19 year
Reserve Fund Report 2017-18 year

School Taxes

School tax rates are  a function of the tax levy, property assessments and each town’s equalization rate — a percentage level set by New York state that compares property assessment in towns to real estate market value.

For more information about school taxes, including how to pay your bill and information about tax rates, visit the school taxes webpage.

Archival info: 2018-19 school year budget