Budget Development Process Continues in Huntington

Huntington School Board members and district executives are continuing their efforts to develop a budget to fund operations during the 2024/25 school year, which begins July 1.

The budget development process began last fall when central office officials began crafting the plan. Meetings were held with building principals and department leaders. Executives closely followed financial projections impacting health insurance, retirement and utilities costs along with forecasts for interest rates and assessed property values. Inflationary pressures have complicated the development process.

Public meetings are scheduled for Monday, March 25 and Monday April 8 at which further revisions to the financial plan will be discussed. The sessions will be held in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

Trustees will adopt the budget on Monday, April 15. A public hearing on the plan is scheduled for Monday, May 13. The public will vote on the proposed budget on Tuesday, May 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Huntington High School gymnasium.

All budget presentations can be found on the district website. Go to the Main Navigation dropdown menu and then to Leadership and School Budget. Scroll down to Budget Presentations. There are links to each presentation. They can be viewed or downloaded on demand.

The working budget continues to undergo revision as enrollment and staffing needs become clearer. With the state budget still up in the air, the district has only the governor’s proposal to go on as officials wait to see if the legislature sweetens Huntington UFSD’s state aid.

District officials worked tirelessly for months to reduce spending in non-essential areas and seek economies throughout the financial plan. Money is set aside in the draft budget for several contingency positions should an increase in enrollment warrant the hiring of additional teachers. The plan makes conservative financial assumptions on both the revenue and spending sides.

Budget highlights include:

• Maintains the district’s full day pre-k and kindergarten programs.

• Maintains educationally sound class sizes at all levels and intervention supports

• Funds more than six dozen athletic teams for high school and middle school students.

• Funds comprehensive art, music and physical education opportunities, including band, orchestra, chorus, marching band, music ensembles and specialized art courses.

• Provides for an extensive line-up of Regents, Honors and Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses in every academic area.

• Provides a complete program of after-school extracurricular activities, including dozens of clubs for students.

• Funds student drama club productions, newspapers, concerts, science fairs and the district art show.

• Continues the SEARCH and Math Olympiad programs for academically talented fifth and sixth graders.

• Continues the district’s science research, robotics, mock trial and math competition initiatives.

• Continues the district’s dual language program for grades K-5.

• Includes a comprehensive special education program for students with disabilities and support services for all students.

• Appropriates monies for facility upgrades.

• Provides for summer academic programs.

• Includes monies for career and technical education opportunities, internships and community service programs.

• Appropriates monies to acquire new classroom and library resources along with computer hardware and software.