KP Schools to Present $82 Mil Budget to Board of Ed for Adoption

Kings Park School District administrators will present a $82,874,728 budget to the board of education to adopt at Tuesday evening’s board of education meeting.

The budget is the fourth and likely, the final budget to be presented and is a 2.53 percent increase over last year’s budget and will carry a 3.5 percent tax levy increase. Taxpayers with an average assessed home value of $6,000 can expect to pay a yearly increase of $267.86, which equates to $22.32 monthly.

"Last minute changes can be made, but likely this is the final budget," said District Superintendent, Susan Agruso.

If the budget does not pass, the board has the opportunity to present the same budget again or make changes to the proposed budget and put it out again for a public vote. According to the district, if the budget were voted down again, a contingency budget of $80,735,518 would be put in place.

Under the proposed budget, five elementary positions will be eliminated, two of which are due to retirement. An additional 6 positions will be lost, most of which are at the middle school, according to Agruso, and include one each in physical education, music, math, science, social studies and ELA and .3 positions in art.

Positions being added include; shared mathematics support between Fort Salonga and Parkview Elementary, 0.5 reading support for RJO Intermediate School and a reading lead teacher for K-5.

$37,000 has been budgeted for a new bus and van to replace aging vehicles. The district is currently considering propane-fueled vehicles as an option. Security upgrades under the new budget include $70,000 for district wide monitors and 30 new cameras as well a purchasing a used security vehicle for $6,000.

The budget will be presented for adoption on April 16. Residents can vote on the budget on May 21 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the back gym in the Kings Park High School.