Farmingdale School Budget Preview For 2025-26

FARMINGDALE, NY — Farmingdale residents are set to head to the polls on Tuesday, May 20.

People can vote from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Weldon E. Howitt Middle School Aquatic Center.

This year's proposed budget is $206,042,592, an increase of 3 percent from the current year's $200,036,027.

The tax cap calculation results in a 2.28 percent increase to the tax levy for a proposed total of $143,632,984 — following the current year's $140,429,624 figure.

Voters will elect two candidates to the Farmingdale Board of Education for three-year terms set to commence on July 1 and expire on June 30, 2028.

George Andriopoulos and Suzanne D'Amico are running unopposed.

"Each school year presents its own unique challenges and opportunities," Superintendent Paul Defendini wrote in a letter to the community. "As we look ahead to the 2025-26 school year, we remain committed to ensuring that the Farmingdale School District continues to provide high-quality education and services to our students while maintaining a fiscally responsible budget. The unwavering support of our community is a testament to the strength and dedication of the Farmingdale families, staff, and all stakeholders at large."

The proposed 2025-26 budget "ensures that all essential programs and services remain in place while maintaining the district’s strong financial position," Defendini said.

State aid remains a "critical funding source," Defendini said. New York state implemented certain Rockefeller Committee findings that "positively and negatively impacted our state aid for next year," the superintendent said.

The Foundation Aid allocation saw an increase of 10.82 percent ($3.48 million) from last year, while seeing reductions in other aid categories, including Transportation Aid (-5.06 percent) and BOCES Aid (-3.53 percent), which Defendini said underscores "the importance of careful financial planning."

"The proposed 2025-26 budget continues to align with the Board of Education’s goals, which focus on closing student achievement gaps, improving safety and student wellness, and addressing the increasing demand for student support and special education services," Defendini said. "Rising costs remain a challenge, particularly in employee benefits, transportation, and contractual services."

To address the challenges, Defendini said the district worked closely with the Farmingdale Board of Education and its administrative team to make a "concerted effort" to find reductions in all areas of the budget.

"An enhanced retirement incentive was offered to help reduce salary costs and balance the budget," Defendini said. "In addition, we asked all of our budget administrators to look for reductions of 3.75 percent in each of their respective departments. These initiatives resulted in significant savings for the 2025/26 budget."