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The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Board of Education has proposed a $270.3 million budget for the 2021-22 school year that would continue to minimize the impact on taxpayers while also investing one-time federal COVID-19 relief funds to strategically rebuild from the pandemic.

The budget proposal would support all current staff and programs, including the 180 positions the district has reinstated throughout the organization this spring. 

This budget, in combination with the federal aid, would allow the district to provide either full in-person instruction or a model similar to the current fourth quarter, with hybrid at middle and high schools, if that is still required in 2021-22 due to COVID-19 social distancing and space limitations.

The proposal is supported by a $9.5 million increase in state foundation aid, the district’s first increase in that funding in two years. 

The proposal includes a 0.95% tax-levy increase, marking the eighth consecutive year that the proposed increase has been less than 2%. The annual average proposed increase over that period has been 1.01%.

“This has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone due to COVID-19,” Board of Education President Anne Savage said. 

“The extreme fluctuations in our financial position as a result of the COVID-19 economic crisis have deeply impacted our students, families, faculty and staff. 

“We are grateful to our state and federal leaders for supporting public education. This additional financial support allowed the district to include the programs and supports we know our students need and deserve into our budget planning.”

In addition to maintaining all current staff and programs for next year, the budget proposal provides resources for all instructional models permitted by COVID-19 social distancing requirements. 
It also includes new investments intended to accelerate academic growth and provide more social-emotional supports for students following the challenges COVID-19 has presented (see the budget glance section of this page for more information).

"We are planning on rebuilding and accelerating the learning of our students academically, socially and emotionally," said Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams. 

"We are adding resources to address the social-emotional component and the well-being of our children."

Federal COVID-19 relief funds

Separate from the budget proposal, the district also will invest federal COVID-19 relief funds from two separate grants to support additional staffing and programs in 2021-22 (see related story at right). 

These items will have no impact on taxes.

Investments planned for 2021-22 through these federal funds include expanding ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú International Center to serve K-12 students, expanding the Dual Language Program, adding music staff and restoring instrumental music opportunities for third-graders, and enhancing summer school and after-school programming.

Plans for federal COVID-19 relief funds also include one-time investments in HVAC/ventilation system enhancements, and in technology hardware to support the district’s long-term Technology Plan (see the budget glance section of this page for more information).

2021-22 school planning

The district’s planning for instructional models during the 2021-22 school year will continue to be in alignment with all federal and state COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. That will include social distancing guidelines that may be required. 

The budget proposal and related investments through the federal COVID-19 relief funding have been constructed with that goal in mind.

Depending on social distancing guidelines, and on the number of students who select an in-person model in 2021-22, the district would provide either five day in-person instruction for all students, or a model similar to the current fourth quarter with full in-person instruction for PK-6 students and PK-12 self-contained special education students, and a hybrid model for other students in grades 7-12. 

The budget would fully support both options in combination with federal aid.

We also know some parents and guardians may continue to be uncomfortable sending their students to school in-person due to COVID-19 concerns, so we anticipate continuing to provide a distance learning option for families. 

The planned use of federal funding for 2021-22 includes a potential virtual academy, depending on COVID-19 protocols as well as anticipated State Education Department direction regarding distance learning. 

We will keep you updated and provide opportunities for feedback as these plans develop in alignment with federal and state guidance.

Since January, the federal government has acted swiftly to provide unprecedented levels of pandemic relief funding to schools nationwide. The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú will receive a total of $46.3 million in federal funds to be used over the next 2-3 years to support recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

Separate from the district’s 2021-22 budget proposal, and with no additional impact on taxes, the district is planning to use the following two federal grants to rebuild and accelerate student growth (see the budget glance on page 2 for more information):

• Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) – $13.5 million, available through September 2023
• American Recovery Plan (ARP) – $32.8 million, available through September 2024

ARP investments require a community engagement process. The district is committed to working with the community in May and June to prioritize and seek input on the use of these funds. 

Once these one-time federal funds expire, the district plans to sustain some instructional programs through anticipated new state aid, while reducing COVID-19-specific programming by staff attrition where possible.

The state has indicated that it plans to fully fund foundation aid for all New York schools by 2023-24. However, the state must appropriate funds in each year’s adopted state budget moving forward. 

Fully funding foundation aid would mean an additional $26 million for the district by the 2023-24 school year. 

The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú will return to in-person voting this year, with 15 locations city-wide. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Absentee voting also is an option, including an additional absentee option due to COVID-19.

There also is one new voting location. The Italian-American Community Center pavilion at 257 Washington Ave. Extension is replacing Teresian House in the 12th Ward, Districts 1-3.

The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú automatically sends absentee ballots to people the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú County Board of Elections designates as having a permanent disability.

Others who want to vote with an absentee ballot because of illness, hospitalization, vacation, studies, business or incarceration must apply for the absentee ballot.

New this year, the state has added an important additional absentee voting option: Concern about potential exposure to COVID-19 is a permitted reason to request an absentee ballot. Voters interested in casting an absentee ballot can select that option by checking “temporary illness or physical disability” on the absentee ballot application.

You can call (518) 475-6015 and ask to have an application mailed to you, or you can download one at albanyschools.org/vote 

If you want an absentee ballot mailed to your home, your completed application must be received by the district clerk at least seven days before the vote – by Tuesday, May 11 at 4 p.m. 

If you want to pick up your absentee ballot in-person at the district headquarters in Academy Park, you must have your completed application to the board clerk by 4 p.m. the day before the budget vote – Monday, May 17.

All absentee ballots must be returned to the district clerk by 5 p.m. on the day of the vote – Tuesday, May 18.

Two members of the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Board of Education are seeking reelection in this year’s board election, which will be held in conjunction with the budget vote May 18.

Vice President Vickie Smith and board member Sridar Chittur, Ph.D., both are seeking reelection. At press time, no other candidates had submitted the required paperwork and petitions to run. Visit albanyschools.org/boe for more information.

If voters do not approve the budget May 18, state law gives the Board of Education three options:

• Put up the same proposal for another vote;
• Present a revised budget for voter consideration; or  
• Adopt a contingency budget. 

If the board opted for a second vote and it also failed, state law would require the district to adopt a contingency budget.

For 2021-22, a contingency budget would be $269,126,738 and would hold the tax levy to its current level as required by state law. 

In addition, a contingency budget requires cuts to specific areas: the district would need to eliminate about $1,141,129 from the proposed budget to meet those requirements.

The state closely regulates any district operating under a contingency budget. 

It prohibits spending on student supplies, equipment and certain raises, to name a few items. Community groups also are required to pay to use school buildings when a district is operating under a contingency budget. 

This would mean that, in addition to the prohibited spending noted above, the district would have to consider cuts to staffing and programs to meet the new contingency requirements.

In addition to the school-related items on this year’s ballot, residents also will be asked to vote for two seats on the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Public Library Board of Trustees. 

Each seat carries a five-year term. 

There will be no vote on the library’s annual budget this year, since there is no tax-levy increase proposed. 

For more information about the library trustee vote, call Stephanie Simon at (518) 708-3912.