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Scotia-Glenville Central School District Budget
Making well-informed choices regarding our school district’s budget is essential. The district and Board of Education are committed to working together with our community to thoughtfully navigate these challenges.
Scotia-Glenville School District approves $67M budget with strong support
On May 19, Scotia-Glenville Central School District successfully passed its $67,155,932 budget with 71% approval, receiving 1,078 votes in favor and 447 against, out of 1,525 total votes. In the school board election, Kimberly Boucher Furnish led with 930 votes, followed by Jason McCord with 828, Katie Walters with 747, Karnjit Singh with 630, and Amy Marlette with 582.
Proposition 2, concerning the replacement of a diesel bus, passed with 1,075 votes for and 450 against, maintaining the same total votes as the budget. Proposition 3, aimed at upgrading EV infrastructure, narrowly passed with 772 votes in favor and 751 opposed, from a slightly lower total of 1,523 votes.
Read the budget night message here.
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- Yes votes: 1,078
- No votes: 447
- Total votes: 1,525
- Approval percentage: 71%
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- Jason McCord: 828
- Karnjit Singh: 630
- Kimberly Boucher Furnish: 930
- Katie Walters: 747
- Amy Marlette: 582
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- Yes votes: 1,075
- No votes: 450
- Total votes: 1,525
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- Yes votes: 772
- No votes: 751
- Total votes: 1,523
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Executive Summary: 2026–2027 Budget Exit Poll
To: Members of the Board of Education
From: Susan M. Swartz, Superintendent
# of Voters: 1,525
Data Scope: 297 Survey Respondents
Core Proposition Results
Key Takeaways & Community Insights
1. Drivers of Voter Support
- Value on Education: The vast majority of voters prioritized the quality of education over cost. 191 respondents (64.3%) indicated that "Quality of education is worth the investment" was a major factor in their vote.
- Fiscal Perceptions: 35.7% (106 voters) felt the tax levy increase was reasonable, and 34.3% (102 voters) felt the proposed budget was sound.
- Resistance Factors: Among "No" voters and hesitant "Yes" voters, primary concerns cited included general tax affordability, rising cost of living, and skepticism regarding state-mandated Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure.
2. Perception of Educational Quality
- 76.8% of respondents rate the educational quality at Scotia-Glenville CSD as
- Good (53.2%) or Excellent (23.6%)
- 15.8% rated quality as Average, and
- 5.4% rated it as Below Average.
3. Information Reach & Communication Channels
- Adequacy: 79.8% (237 respondents) felt they received adequate information prior to voting, while 18.5% (55 respondents) felt information was lacking or delivered too late.
- Top Reliable Information Sources:
- Mailed District Budget Newsletter: 64.3% (191)
- Board Meetings: 40.4% (120)
- District Website (News & Budget pages):34.0% (101)
- Friends / Family / Neighbors: 30.0% (89)
- Social Media: 26.6% (79)
- Daily Gazette: 22.6% (67)
4. Respondent Demographics
- Age Profile: Well-distributed across age brackets, with the largest representation from ages 35–54 (44.1%) and ages 65+ (29.0%).
- Parent & Resident Demographics:
- 77.1% of respondents are non-graduates living in the district.
- 30.0% have adult children who graduated,
- 18.5% have no children, and
- 51.5% have children currently in district schools (ranging from preschool through high school).
Qualitative Feedback Themes (84 Open-Ended Comments)
The qualitative comments highlight five prominent themes for the Board’s consideration:
- Board Candidate Visibility & Information:
Multiple voters expressed frustration regarding the lack of central candidate biographies or detailed background information in official mailings and on the website prior to the BOE election.
- Administrative Overhead & Governance Concerns:
A prominent subset of commenters raised questions regarding executive salaries, administrative staffing ratios, and district leadership transparency. Conversely, others expressed strong support for district leadership and stability.
- Glen-Worden School Closure:
Sentiments surrounding the closure of Glen-Worden Elementary remain active. Community members requested clearer communication regarding long-term facility usage, district re-centering, and facility maintenance across remaining buildings.
- Curriculum, Instruction & Screen Time:
Parents called for updating elementary ELA/reading curricula, restoring hands-on learning experiences (e.g., field trips), and evaluating classroom screen time / Chromebook usage in upper elementary grades.
- Diversity, Equity & Staff Support:
Feedback pointed to needs for expanded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) sensitivity training for staff/board members, improved special education resources, and increased compensation for substitute teachers.
1. Voting Behavior Across Key Voter Segments
A. Voting Breakdown by Age Bracket
Support for the overall District Budget (Prop 1) remained strong across all age demographics. However, support for the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (Prop 3) varied significantly by age:
- Key Takeaway: The strongest resistance to the EV infrastructure proposition came from mid-career taxpayers aged 45–54 (42.2% No) and young adults aged 25–34 (46.2% No). The youngest (18–24) and oldest (75+) age groups were the most supportive of all propositions.
B. Voting Breakdown by Parent/Resident Status
Voters were grouped by household relationship to the district:
- Key Takeaway: Current district parents registered a slightly higher "No" rate on the EV proposition (36.7%) compared to community members without children in district schools (27.3%).
2. Impact of Information & Perception on Voting Outcomes
A. Information Adequacy vs. Voting Outcomes
Whether voters felt informed significantly correlated with their likelihood of voting "Yes":
- Felt Appropriately Informed (236 respondents):
- 90.3% voted YES on the District Budget.
- 72.1% voted YES on the EV Project.
- Felt Information Was Inadequate / Lacking (52 respondents):
- 59.6% voted YES on the District Budget (40.4% voted No).
- 49.1% voted YES on the EV Project (50.9% voted No).
B. Educational Quality Assessment vs. Budget Vote
How residents rate the district's educational quality correlates directly with their voting behavior:
- Key Takeaway: Dissatisfaction with educational quality was the single largest driver of "No" votes on the core budget.
3. Media Reach by Demographic Segment
Communication channels differ significantly depending on the age group targeted:
- Strategic Insight for Communications:
- Seniors (65+) rely heavily on print media (Mailed Newsletter and Daily Gazette).
- Parents & Mid-Career Voters (35–54) rely on ParentSquare, Board Meetings, and Social Media alongside the mailed newsletter.
4. Primary Decision Drivers ("Yes" vs. "No" Voters)
- Primary Motivations of "YES" Budget Voters:
- Quality of education is worth the investment (188 mentions)
- Tax levy increase is reasonable (104 mentions)
- Feel the budget is sound (100 mentions)
- Support the school/students despite personal cost constraints (30 mentions)
- Primary Motivations of "NO" Budget Voters:
- Support the students, but simply cannot afford the tax cost (20 mentions)
- Distrust in district leadership/administration & executive compensation concerns (8 mentions)
- Dissatisfaction with elementary school consolidation / Glen-Worden closure process (3 mentions)
May 6: Public Budget Hearing and “Meet the Candidates Night”
At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, the Scotia-Glenville Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 budget in the Middle School Cafeteria. Immediately following, the community will have an opportunity to hear from the candidates running for the school board in a “Meet the Candidates Night,” where questions will be posed for each candidate to answer.
The Public Budget Hearing and “Meet the Candidates Night” was open to the public and streamed live on the district’s YouTube Channel.
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- Proposed Budget: $67,155,932
- Spending Increase: $642,238 or 0.97%
- Estimated Tax Rate Increase: 2.54%
- Tax Levy Increase: $615,267 or 1.78%
- Budget Newsletter
- Budget brochure including property tax report card
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Voters will select from five candidates competing for three open positions on the school board. Each position has a three-year, unpaid term. The order in which candidates will appear on the ballot was established through a random drawing. This is the sequence in which the candidates will be listed on the ballot: Jason McCord, Karnjit Singh, Kimberly Boucher Furnish, Katie Walters and Amy Marlette.
You can view the candidate bios in this link.
2026-27 Budget Vote and School Board Election
May 19 from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. in the High School B-Wing Gym
On Tuesday, May 19, Scotia-Glenville residents will be asked to consider a $67,155,932 budget for the 2026-27 school year. The proposal complies with state mandates while preserving all existing programs, services, and extracurricular activities for our students. Additionally, it maintains funding for two full-time school resource officers. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school B-Wing Gym.
The proposed budget reflects a spending increase of less than 1% or $642,238 from the current year. It also includes a tax levy rise of 1.78%, amounting to $615,267. For a home with an assessed value of $160,000, the estimated tax increase would be approximately $102 per year, or about $8.50 per month, before any STAR savings are applied.
In addition to the proposed budget, there will be two additional propositions included on the May 19 ballot, neither of which impact the tax levy for the 2026-27 budget.
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A proposal to purchase a new 57-passenger, wheelchair-accessible diesel bus for $214,000, replacing the 12-year-old wheelchair-accessible Bus 213. The new bus, expected between September and November 2026, offers more seating for efficient routing and matches the capacity of an existing wheelchair bus. The retired bus will be auctioned, with proceeds helping to cover debt service payments, which won’t impact the budget until the 2027-28 school year. The district plans to pay off the bond over five years, resulting in a net annual cost of $14,248 after state transportation aid from 2027 to 2032.
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The EV Infrastructure Upgrade Project reflects the district’s commitment to sustainability without affecting the 2026-27 tax levy. This project is part of a NYS mandate requiring all school buses purchased to be zero-emission by 2027 and the entire fleet to be electric by 2035. Furthermore, it is anticipated that there will be no tax impact in future years for this $3 million project due to incentives from the New York School Bus Incentive Program (NYSBIP) and National Grid, as well as transportation aid and building aid.
2026-27 Budget Proposal Overview
Balancing fiscal responsibility with educational stability, the 2026-27 budget proposal aims to enhance student support amidst school consolidation and staffing adjustments
During the budget workshop on March 23, Superintendent Susan Swartz and Business Manager Andrew Giaquinto outlined a budget proposal that manages staffing cuts, reducing 19 instructional and 13.61 non-instructional positions, along with administrative changes, while maintaining overall resource balance and student support. Due to attrition, unfilled vacancies, and positions filled by outside agencies, a total of 17.75 staff members are impacted. Among these, 4 have already been reassigned within the district for next year.
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19 positions, including 8 teachers, 1 principal, and 1 teaching assistant due to the closure of Glen-Worden Elementary School
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A total reduction of 13.61 positions, including nurses, custodians, monitors, and secretarial roles
Process calendar for 2026-2027 budget
Make your voice heard with your vote and throughout the budget approval process.
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Month of January departmental discussions on budgets
January 26
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February 9
- Summary of 2/9 meeting – Important updates on elementary school changes and budget plans
- Carry-Forward Update
- First Tax Cap Discussion
- Bus Proposition & EV Project
- Proposition Discussion
February 23
- Announcement
- Summary of 2/23 meeting – Announcing transition timeline for elementary consolidation
- Board Decision on Tax Cap
- Board Decision on Tax Cap
- Summary of 2/9 meeting – Important updates on elementary school changes and budget plans
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March 1
- Property Tax Cap Reports Due
March 2
- Announcement
- Summary of 3/2 Meeting – Budget workshops begin with reduction plan
- Budget Work Session – Superintendent Swartz – 1st draft of Recommended Budget, Contingency Budget
- 3/2 Presentation Slides – a move toward closing the gap to the cap
- 3/2 SEI Capital Improvement Update Presentation
March 9
- Petitions for BOE Seats Available in District Office
- Budget Work Session – Superintendent Swartz (meeting canceled – no quorum)
March 16
- Announcement
- Summary of 3/16 Meeting – Superintendent’s budget plan bridges $2.7 million gap for 2026-27
- Budget Work Session- Superintendent Swartz
- Resolution for Legal Notice for Annual District Election, Bus Prop, EV Project Prop
- Possible Adoption of Budget
- 3/16 Presentation Slides – Superintendent’s recommended budget
March 23
- Announcement
- Summary of 3/23 Meeting – 2026-27 Budget proposal and elementary transition
- Regular Board Meeting -Final Date for Adoption of Budget
- Property Tax Report Card due w/in 24 hours of budget adoption
- Appoint Chairperson, Chief Inspector, Inspectors and Assistant Clerks for Annual District Election
- 3/26 Presentation Slides – budget update
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April 2-April 6
- First Legal Notice
April 20
- Deadline for petitions turned into Business Office
April 21
- Drawing for ballot positions
April 24
- Military Ballots mailed
April 29
- Special Board Meeting (BOCES budget vote)
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May 6
- 6 p.m. Public Budget Hearing
- Meet the Candidate Night
May 9
- Last day to register to vote with the County
May 12
- Last day to request an absentee ballot or early ballot be mailed
May 13
- Budget Notice Mailed
May 18
- Last day to request an absentee ballot in person
May 19
- 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Statewide Annual Budget Vote and School Board Election in the High School B-Wing Gym
- 5:00 p.m. deadline for receipt of absentee ballots
Who can vote?
Community members who are U.S. citizens may vote in the school elections if they:
- Have been a resident for at least 30 days before the May vote;
- Are at least 18 years old.
The district uses registration books from the Schenectady County Board of Elections. If you are not registered, you may vote by showing an official proof of residency.
Can I mail my ballot?
Ability to vote by mail or in person
You must fill out an application to vote by early voting or absentee ballot. There are separate applications for voting by early voting or absentee ballot, but the application process and deadlines are the same for both.
- Applications for absentee and early mail in ballots cannot be accepted more than 30 days before the election. This year, in 2026, that would be April 19.
- You can either mail or personally deliver your ballot to District Clerk Cathy Smith at the S-G District Office, located at 900 Preddice Parkway, Scotia, NY 12302.
Absentee ballots
Residents who are disabled, hospitalized or out of town on the day of the school budget vote may cast absentee ballots. They are available at the Scotia-Glenville business office, 900 Preddice Parkway (end of Lark Street), Scotia. (518) 347-3600, ext. 7102
- Absentee voters must first complete this application to vote and then complete the ballot itself.
Early mail ballots
In addition, the Early Mail Voter Act, effective January 1, 2024, allows for early voting via mail without any reasons needed for voting early.
- Early mail voters must first complete this application to vote and then complete the ballot itself.
What if the budget were defeated?
If the school budget were defeated once, it could be amended and a second vote scheduled. If the budget were defeated twice, the Board of Education must adopt a contingency budget – meaning the tax levy would be the same as the current year’s tax levy.
How does the state’s STAR program affect my tax bill?
The New York State School Tax Relief Program (STAR), which applies only to primary residences, is paid by the state to the school district and is not administered by Scotia-Glenville.
There are two STAR programs: an older program reduces the STAR amount directly from school tax bills in September; the newer program sends the STAR amount to homeowners as a rebate check in the fall.
- Basic STAR
- The STAR program in 2025-26 would reduce school tax bills in Glenville by an estimated maximum of $502 for Basic STAR recipients. Property owners with incomes below $500,000 are eligible.
- Enhanced STAR
- For property owners who receive the Enhanced STAR deduction, the Glenville reduction in 2025-26 would be an estimated maximum of $1,199. Enhanced STAR is for property owners over age 65 with incomes of less than $107,300.
More information
Questions about School Budget or School Taxes –
Contact Christy Ferri, School Business Administrator – 518-347-3600 ext 7301
2025-26 Budget Revote Snapshot
- Proposed Budget: $66,513,694
- Spending Increase: $1,428,500 or 2.19%
- Estimated Tax Rate Increase: 1.63%
- Tax Levy Increase: $1,084,331 or 3.25%
- Look back 2025-26 Property Tax Report Card
- Look back 2025-26 Budget Revote Newsletter
** The Property Tax Report Card is available in the school buildings. Please contact the building to make arrangements to view the file.
- Tax Collector
- Absentee and Early Mail Ballots
- ARP-ESSER
- ESSA Fiscal Accountability – 2022-23
- Financial audits
- New York State’s Tax Cap Explained Video
- School Budgets 101 Video
- Smart Schools Investment Plan (SSIP)
- STAR Program
- Voter Eligibility
- Advocate for Scotia-Glenville with your state legislators