The Riverhead school board last night adopted a $159.4 million budget for the 2021-2022 school year.
Thanks to a nearly $14 million boost in state aid delivered by the state legislature, the budget does not require any increase in the district’s property tax levy even as it restores programs and positions cut in the current year’s contingency budget and adds programs, teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists and social workers. (See the budget summary provided by the district, below.)
The budget does not include new administrative positions that had been proposed by the district administration, to which board members objected at last week’s school board meeting.
The adopted budget also does not include anticipated federal aid under the American Rescue Plan Act, which is expected to total about $18 million over a three-year period. Those funds are to be used to “address learning loss” resulting from the pandemic and a number of initiatives are under consideration.
The board of education will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at its May 11 meeting.
Between now and the hearing date, district representatives will make budget presentations at meetings of the parent-teacher organizations at each school.
The budget vote and election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 18.
2021-2022 Proposed Budget summary by RiverheadLOCAL on Scribd
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