An Important Message from the Superintendent and BOE Trustees Concerning the Budget Re-Vote

Dear Members of the Eastchester Community, 

At Tuesday night’s Board of Education Meeting, the district adopted a revised school budget for the 2026-2027 school year that represents a marked decrease to the initial budget proposal that was voted down on May 19. 

This new budget represents a 2.35% tax levy increase, bringing us right up to—but not exceeding—the tax levy cap, and will be voted on by the community on June 16.

Please click here for a copy of the presentation that was provided on Tuesday evening. 

(*Please note that there are two corrected slides in this presentation that are clearly marked. The corrections do not make any change to the overall dollar amount in savings or the number of buses/vans required. Thank you.)

In addition to the revised budget, the district announced another proposition that will appear on the June 16 ballot concerning transportation. This new proposal would see the district move in line with New York State guidelines on transportation, which state that the district would be responsible for busing only students who live beyond 2 miles (Grades K-8) or 3 miles (Grades 9-12) from their respective schools. 

If successful, this proposal would account for roughly $2.3 million in savings next year, allowing the district to spend those funds on instructional personnel. 

Since Tuesday evening, the Board of Education Trustees and I have been actively listening and closely reviewing all feedback from the community. Your feedback is not only important, it allows us to take your input and make important decisions that are responsive to our community’s needs as best as possible. The Board will be hosting another Special Meeting on Monday, June 1, 2026, at 7PM in the EMS Library to debrief the feedback we have received and will continue to receive over the weekend. Any adjustments that need to be made to the initial proposal of NYS Transportation Guidelines will be made at this meeting. 

We encourage and invite all community members to attend the meeting to learn more about the next steps of our District’s path to the Re-vote scheduled for June 16.

Here is a schedule featuring notable upcoming events :

 

 

Lastly, as mentioned, we have included some of the questions that have arisen from Tuesday’s meeting regarding the new budget proposal and how this will affect the student experience in Eastchester. 

Please keep scrolling to read through important and helpful information

Sincerely,

The EUFSD BOE Trustees and Dr. Villanueva

 

  Scenario 1

  Scenario 2

  Scenario 3

QUESTION: How, if at all, are Proposition #2 (buses) and the revised proposed budget for 2026-2027 linked? 

It is important to note at this point that passing the transportation proposition (Proposition #2) is NOT LINKED to the passing of the budget (Proposition #1) in any way. 

If the transportation proposition (Proposition #2) passes, it would lower transportation costs by roughly $2.3 million, allowing us to save 24.5 full-time employee positions that are currently set to be eliminated if the transportation proposition does not pass. If the budget passes and the transportation proposition fails, district transportation would simply operate under the same guidelines as it is currently using.

 

Scenarios 1 & 2 are the two options that keep us away from moving to a contingency budget. We do not want Scenario 3. 

In an effort to provide the community with multiple options to mitigate the significant reductions that would otherwise need to be made across all departments…particularly in staffing, the district presented a proposal aligned with New York State transportation mileage guidelines.

Whenever scenarios are presented to the community, they are thoroughly researched and carefully developed with as much detail and specificity as possible. Our goal is to provide residents with transparent and meaningful information when decisions affecting the entire school district must be considered.

When comparing Scenario One and Scenario Two, the substantial number of employee layoffs required to meet the tax levy under Scenario One is alarming. As a result, the district must consider all viable options that help preserve employee positions and maintain the quality of the educational experience our students currently receive.

The mission of a school district is to provide students with the strongest possible educational experience, along with innovative, research-based opportunities that support their academic, social-emotional, and physical development as contributing members of their community and the world. Ultimately, our responsibility is to prepare students for success beyond graduation and it is the people within our schools who make that possible.

Although not perfect, Scenario Two better supports these goals by significantly reducing transportation expenditures, allowing those funds to be redirected toward preserving personnel, student programming, and educational opportunities. This approach helps protect the deep investments our district has made in both academic programs and the overall student experience.

 

QUESTION: Why isn’t the district attempting to pierce the tax cap with this second proposed budget?

Given the overwhelming defeat of our first proposed budget on May 19, we believe that the risk of attempting to pass a cap-piercing budget which would require a 60% supermajority is simply too great for our district to take on at this time.

On May 19, the budget failed by a vote of 1,385 to 1,196, meaning just 46% of voters approved of our proposal. Even decreasing that tax levy increase by 2 or 3% would not provide any assurances that a new vote would meet that 60% threshold it would need to pass. If the 2026-2027 budget falls in this second-and-final attempt, the district would be forced to operate on a contingency budget next school year, leading to calamitous reductions in personnel and programming for our students.

 

QUESTION: Please tell me more about the detailed timeline district’s must adhere to when going to a Re-Vote or adopting a proposition on the ballot?

In accordance with New York State guidelines, it is typical when a special vote (to pass a proposition) takes place, that notice is given to the public and the community in accordance with NYS guidelines regarding special votes. In situations like our current situation—a second budget proposal and Re-Vote— in sum and substance, it is a truncated timeline for revotes. For re-vote scenarios in the 2026 school year, legal notice must be published on or before June 2, 2026. In addition, additional propositions added to revotes have been approved. This is our goal and hope.

In Eastchester’s current circumstances, we are adhering tightly to the required timeline outlined by New York State to post our notices in time for a re-vote on June 16.

Eastchester Schools will always make a good-faith effort to present the community with alternative solutions that help offset detrimental and long-lasting impacts to the educational system in which we have collectively invested so heavily.

 

QUESTION: How is the district preparing to accommodate an increase in student walkers if these new transportation measures are adopted? 

We understand that there are some concerns regarding the logistics of bus reductions and plan to address these questions with the Town of Eastchester, exploring the potential and need for a multi-year partnership with the Town of Eastchester to eventually create true “school zones” and expand our crossing guard coverage at key crosswalk areas.

We will also examine our before-and-after school care offerings in order to better serve families who require early drop-off or late pick-up. More information will be shared as details are analyzed.

For more Frequently Asked Questions, click on the FAQ Tab on our Budget Page!