Skip To Main Content

BCSD Budget 2021-22

Dear BCSD Families and Community Members

I am pleased to present the Bedford Central School District 2021-22 Proposed “Superintendent’s Budget” and the Superintendent’s Budget Presentation.  This budget supports the continuation of our work to achieve the goals and objectives of our BCSD SUCCESS Plan.  Our budget is a tool to nurture and support equitable opportunities and achievements for all of our students.  

It goes without saying that this has been an unprecedented year.  Building a budget at a time when we still do not know what we might be facing in the year ahead, makes this process especially challenging.  However, we entered this budget season with hope and optimism that better days are ahead.  We look forward to bringing back all students in-person, K-12, who are ready to return to school 5 days a week beginning April 12, 2021.   We present for your consideration a budget that addresses the losses and gaps that too many of our students experienced in the year of the pandemic, while also restoring, rebuilding, renewing and recreating what we hope will be a blueprint for our future. 

The principles which guided the development of this 2021-2022 BCSD budget are:

  1. Enhance current programs for students, explore new and innovative programs and initiatives, expand analysis of student achievement data, and continue our investment in professional development. 
  2. Comply with elementary class size policy guidelines given current enrollment projections, while proposing smaller classes wherever possible for the 2021-2022 year.
  3. Align the 2021-22 budget with prior years’ actual expenditures.
  4. Limit projected expenses and maximize potential revenue to stay within the legislative property tax levy cap.
  5. Comply with state and/or federally mandated programs with minimal additional costs.
  6. Continue to maximize operational efficiencies.

In the most recent fiscal stress monitoring from the  New York State Comptroller, the BSCD for the fiscal year ending 2020 received “no designation” which means that we are deemed to be in solid fiscal health.  Having previously been designated as in “fiscal stress,” the district has been able to rebuild our reserves and brought our fund balance to healthy levels.  While we identified efficiencies  and reduced a considerable number of positions in the 2020-2021 budget, hopeful that we will be receiving additional aid due to the pandemic,  you will note the restoration of a number of positions for 2021-2022 to allow for smaller class sizes that will support our need for providing SEL supports and academic interventions within our classrooms.   Given the challenges we faced this year, I am proposing that we renew our current  STRATEGIC Plan for a final, sixth year,  which will be updated this summer to reflect a new Success Plan for 2021-2022.  While much of this budget focuses on restoration and renewal as a result of the past year’s challenges, you will also see that this budget speaks to our future and  represents an increased commitment to strengthen current programs and develop new, innovative experiences for students.  In 2021-22, we will have the opportunity to examine our current STRATEGIC Plan and begin the development of the next five-year plan for the BCSD.

In summary, this budget continues our efforts to provide outstanding educational programs for students, as well as continuing BCSD on our path to sustained fiscal health. The budget also honors BCSD’s guidelines for elementary class sizes, is within the allowable NY State Property Tax Cap, limits spending to anticipated revenue growth, meets State and Federal mandates, and plans for the effective management of reserve funds to be maintained at acceptable levels. 

We remain committed to our BCSD Mission:  The Bedford Central School District shall cultivate curiosity and a passion for learning by providing challenging educational opportunities for all students so they may achieve their full potential as productive and contributing members of society.

Thank you for your continued support of our BCSD students and District. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Dr. Joel Adelberg

Superintendent of Schools

ORPS

 

 

 Understanding Property Tax Values and Equalization Rates (3/28/2012)

Please click the above link to watch the Panel Discussion with our Tax Assessors and a Representative from the Office of Real Property Tax Services.  Original broadcast date was March 28, 2012; however, this information is still valid and is helpful in understanding 

how property values and equalization rates affect school tax apportionment and tax rate