Bedford BOE puts $165.9M budget before the voters

I think one of the learnings we've had is we need to apply a zero-based, consistent methodology.”

—Superintendent Dr. Robert Glass

Budget and trustee vote details

The Bedford Central School District’s annual budget vote and Board of Education trustee election will take place Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the elementary school in your attendance area. The community will be asked to vote on the annual budget, any other propositions, and the election of two Board trustees for three-year terms (July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029). The candidates for those seats are Leo Sposato and Erin Hayes.

The Bedford Central School District’s Board of Education unanimously adopted a $165,895,484 budget for the 2026–27 school year on April 22, sending the plan to voters on May 19, 2026.

Find the budget presentaiton here

The proposal includes a 2.62 percent increase in the tax levy, to $149,468,630, remaining within the state tax cap. Overall spending rises 3.10 percent from 2025–26, with the difference covered in part by $815,210 in assigned fund balance.

Voters will decide the budget alongside the Board of Education election on May 19. Two at-large seats are open for three-year terms, with standard residency, registration and age requirements applying.

The plan is designed to close an approximately $5 million budget gap while maintaining programs and advancing district goals, district officials said.

“That is not an exorbitant amount given the size of our overall budget and the gap that we have to close,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Glass, who added that the process of creating the 2026–27 budget points the way to the future.

“I think one of the learnings we've had is we need to apply a zero-based, consistent methodology, and only make exceptions for it in truly rare circumstances that are warranted,” he said. “Because to make that move now for the dynamic that you described would be inequitable relative to other requests that were made in previous years that were not honored.”

The district used a “modified zero-based budgeting” approach, which builds the budget from the ground up each year rather than relying on prior spending levels, to better align staffing and resources.

State aid is projected to increase modestly (about 4 percent), while other revenue sources rise more significantly. Overall revenue growth matches the spending increase, keeping the budget balanced.

The district emphasized maintaining educational programs despite cost pressures. All K-12 programs and electives are preserved, including arts, music and extracurricular offerings. Elementary art, music and physical education will continue on a four-day rotation, with no changes planned for middle or high school arts programming. Additional investments include a new social worker at Fox Lane Middle School, funding for capital maintenance and resources tied to prior diversity and inclusion studies.

At the same time, the district identified reductions and efficiencies, including eliminating certain vacant administrative positions, reducing aide staffing through formula adjustments and cutting some stipends and support roles. The plan reflects a reduction of about 29.3 full-time equivalent positions through attrition and restructuring, producing more than $2.5 million in savings.

Spending remains concentrated primarily in instruction (about 78 percent of the budget), followed by employee benefits, transportation and general support. Debt service declines slightly, helping offset increases in other areas. The three-part budget format shows relatively stable proportions across administrative, program and capital categories.

If voters reject the budget, the district would need to cut about $3.8 million or adopt a contingency budget, which could reduce capital transfers and potentially affect athletics, extracurricular activities and field trips.