The Pioneer Board of Education has begun exploring the pieces of what will make up the 2022-23 general fund budget.
Meeting in regular session Feb. 1, the board heard from Assistant Superintendent Nicholas Silvaroli for the first in a series of presentations on the revenue and expenditure budget elements.
Mr. Silvaroli said Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her 2022-23 spending plan on Jan. 16. It includes $31.28 billion in aid for public schools, a figure that represents a $2.1 billion or 7.07 percent increase over the current year.
He said the proposed increase is driven largely by the second year of a three-year phase-in of the full funding of Foundation Aid. That aid category was established in 2007 and never fully funded by the state.
Mr. Silvaroli noted no changes in the state formula for expense-driven aid, such as BOCES, transportation, textbook, software, and library materials. Likewise, the state formula for calculating UPK and full day UPK remains unchanged.
A new program proposed by the governor would require all new bus purchases to be emissions-free by 2027, and all buses on the road to be zero emissions by 2025. The state would provide aid for related transportation purchases and infrastructure spending.
Overall, the revenue side of Pioneer's proposed 2022-23 general fund budget totals $62,276.456, an increase of 4.8 percent over the current year.
Mr. Silvaroli reviewed the following areas on the expenditure side of the budget: Board of Education and Central Operations, Curriculum/Staff Development, Technology, Special Education, Athletics, Buildings and Grounds, and all four school buildings.
A 7.11 percent increase in the Athletics budget was attributed to the rising cost of officials, he said. A nearly 30 percent decrease in the Buildings and Grounds budget is attributed to the district bringing the high school and middle school cleaning staff 'in-house' rather than under contract.
The next scheduled presentation on the proposed budget is March 1, and will include Salaries and Benefits, BOCES, Transportation, and Debt Service.