The North Colonie Central School District’s Board of Education adopted the proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year at the March 31, 2026 budget committee meeting. This was the final in a series of annual public budget meetings to review the proposed 2026-27 budget.
The budget for the 2026-27 school year is projected to be $164,581,354, a 6.02% budget to budget increase. This budget would allow the district to maintain all existing programs and staff. Under the state’s property tax cap law, the maximum allowable levy limit is 4.689%. North Colonie CSD is proposing a tax levy increase of 3.90%, well below the maximum allowable levy limit.
North Colonie Assistant Superintendent for Business Dr. Brian Carey presented the proposed budget to the Board of Education, highlighting the ways for the district to make up a budget deficit, while also being cognizant of the financial times. The 3.9% tax rate increase would represent $3,840,251 in district revenue. The preliminary impact on a household with a full market value of $400,000 is approximately $16.16 per month and $193.87 per year. In addition to property taxes, the district will plan to use $1.5 million in appropriated fund balance, $1,279,262 in ERS reserves, and $750,000 in reserve for debt, totaling $3.5 million in fund balance and reserves in this budget. It is a noticeable increase from last year’s budget, when the district used less than $1 million in fund balance. That’s why this year is what Superintendent Kathleen Skeals called, “a different budget cycle than we’re used to here in North Colonie.”
“So to close that gap, using our reserves and our fund balance, we're going from $900,000 [in 2025-26] to $3.5 million to close this budget,” said Skeals. “And that is why we talk about this being a year of recalibration.”
One large difference between this year and last is the amount of state aid North Colonie is projected to receive. Last year, North Colonie CSD had a foundation aid increase of $2,991,728 from the previous year. While the foundation aid is increasing $1,156,382, or 3.32%, from last year, overall the aid increase for 2026-27 is the lowest since prior to the pandemic. Adding to this, taking into account rising health insurance costs (+9.54% to 20.00%), physical and liability costs (+7.80%), and energy costs (+22.84% for electric and +19.54% for natural gas), the budget gap grows quickly.
“That is why we have been as conservative as we could be with this budget, just to start to recalibrate,” said Skeals. “We are under some incredible fiscal headwinds right now.”
Maintaining Opportunities for Students While Committing to Fiscal Responsibility
Despite the challenges presented, this budget not only maintains opportunities for students, but also maintains staffing. Unlike our counterparts in neighboring districts, North Colonie’s enrollment has steadily risen over the last decade. Since 2021, the amount of state and federal aid allowed us to hire more than 80 positions. Now, with aid at its lowest since before the pandemic, the district is thinking responsibly and creatively about how to maintain programs and staffing.
The year of recalibration includes a reduction of 5.0 FTE (full-time equivalent), a cost savings made by reducing and repurposing positions that are no longer tied to staff members. As enrollment surges at Shaker High School, the need is greatest in that building as enrollment begins to plateau in the middle school and elementary schools. For example, due to increased enrollment at the high school, there is a need for elective teachers to help increase offerings in areas of interest to current students.
“We need a 1.0 FTE in Technology, we need a 1.0 FTE in Business, and we need a 1.0 FTE in Family and Consumer Science,” explained Skeals. “We are going to be adding these three positions, but all of them are accomplished through shifting open positions elsewhere. So, we're adding three teachers to the high school where we need it, but we're not adding three positions to the budget because we are shifting.”
This is possible due to enrollment stabilization at the elementary level. The district is proposing the reduction of several class sections, including one section of kindergarten at Boght Hills, one section of third grade at Southgate, and one section of fifth grade at Forts Ferry. Superintendent Skeals wanted to be clear though, this does not mean layoffs.
“One thing I want to say is, while positions are shifting, and they will shift a little bit in this budget due to retirements and resignations, no staff members are losing their jobs in this budget. And we want to use attrition whenever and wherever possible. Attrition means when someone retires or someone resigns and a position is vacant, we look at each and every position and think, ‘Can we do it differently? Can we do without this position?’”
Adding Programs Through Partnerships & Innovative Thinking
So, how does a district that is not hiring any new staff continue to add new programming for our students? It takes a lot of creativity and hard work, which our employees have put in, in order to offer six exciting new programs for North Colonie CSD students in the 2026-27 school year.
Introduction to Microchip Design & Semiconductor Technology: Through an exciting regional partnership with RPI, Hudson Valley Community College, and Siemens Industry Software, Shaker High School is one of 10 pilot schools to be selected for this program. With job opportunities exploding in this region in the area of microchip design and the semiconductor industry, this course offers students project-based teaching and learning. It would require no new staffing.
Elementary Bikes & School Program: Through a partnership with Russell Sage College, this program will be embedded into Physical Education courses for all kindergarten students in the district. This provides regular, inclusive opportunities for all students, while helping them build early skills and confidence in physical activity. This program has been piloted at Forts Ferry this year in order to gather feedback and refine the program for next year. It will be taught by our current P.E. staff and hence would require no new staffing.
Introduction to Sports Psychology: This is a health elective course that explores the mental and emotional factors that influence athletic performance, motivation, and overall well-being. It emphasizes the real-world connections between psychological principles and everyday life, making it valuable to students interested in sports, fitness, health sciences, or human behavior. It will be taught by our current health staff and hence would require no new staffing.
Unified Physical Education Expansion: Building on its success at Shaker High School, North Colonie CSD is expanding its Unified Physical Education program to Shaker Middle School in the 2026-27 school year. This creates inclusive opportunities for students with and without disabilities to collaborate, lead, and support one another and establishes an earlier, more intentional pathway into the high school Unified P.E. experience. This program will be taught by our current P.E. staff and hence would require no new staffing.
AP Business & Personal Finance: This new AP Career Kickstart course being offered by College Board would be North Colonie CSD’s first AP Business course. It is easily tailored to fit into existing CTE programs of study, teaching students business management and personal finance literacy skills through entrepreneurial projects and simulated work-based experiences. This college-level course offers an employer-endorsed credential and aims to prepare students for both higher education and career success. This course would require no new staffing.
K-5 Learn to Swim Program: This is an optional program that would be offered outside of the school day, typically in the evenings during the spring season. It’s a cost free program that provides flexibility for interested students and families to participate and supports the development of important life skills such as water safety, independence, collaboration, and confidence. This program has been piloted with some of our third grade students at Latham Ridge and Blue Creek and would require no new staffing.
At the end of the budget committee meeting presentation, Budget Committee Chair, Mrs. Mary Nardolillo, added her thoughts on the proposed budget.
“I think this is an outstanding budget. You and your Central Office team have done an incredible job,” said Nardolillo. “Being able to bring us six new programs and shift things around so that no one is losing a job and I think that alone is outstanding work. I’m sure it took a lot of meetings and a lot of good thought. I think it meets our mission statement. We're continuing to provide an excellent academic program for students. And I think the other programs that we're adding are very much forward thinking programs.”
There is a public forum on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 regarding the proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year. It will take place at Central Office at 91 Fiddlers Lane in Latham beginning at 6 p.m.