Albany School Board election, budget vote set for May 20 | The Locally Times
Voters will consider a $342.4 million budget proposal with a 0.9% tax-levy increase, alongside electing two Board of Education members.
City of Albany residents will vote on the City School District of Albany's 2025-26 budget and elect Board of Education members on Tuesday, May 20. Polling locations across the city will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the City School District of Albany's "2025-26 budget information" published on February 11, 2026. ## Budget Proposal Addresses Funding Shifts The proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year totals $342.4 million. The proposal includes a tax-levy increase of 0.9%, marking the fifth consecutive year the district's proposed increase has remained below 1%. Records show the average proposed increase over this five-year period has been less than six-tenths of a percent, according to the February 11, 2026, budget information from the City School District of Albany. The budget document indicates that the district plans to strategically reduce staff expenses. These reductions will occur through retirements and the elimination of vacant positions. The district attributes this strategy to two primary factors: the conclusion of temporary federal COVID-19 relief funding for schools and an anticipated decline in enrollment. Despite these adjustments, the district expects staff-to-student ratios to remain consistent or improve in the upcoming school year, as stated in the February 11, 2026, budget information. The district's "Contract for Excellence" plan for 2025-26 outlines a total amount of $10,460,870. This plan aims to improve student achievement and build capacity to serve students in high-needs schools across the district. Regulations for the Contract for Excellence indicate that the plan should achieve at least a 10% gain in the percentage of target group students meeting state standards, according to the City School District of Albany's "Contract for Excellence: 2025-26" document, dated February 11, 2026. ## Board of Education Seats and Voting Logistics Two seats on the Board of Education are up for election. Three candidates are vying for these open positions, as detailed in the February 11, 2026, budget information. The names of these candidates are not specified in the available records. City residents will have the option to vote by mail, a process consistent with the previous year. In-person polling locations are established across the city. These include New Hope Church for the 1st Ward, Giffen Memorial Elementary School for the 2nd Ward, Sheridan Preparatory Academy for the 3rd Ward, North Albany Middle School for the 4th Ward, Arbor Hill/West Hill Library for the 5th Ward, and William S. Hackett Middle School for the 6th Ward. The 7th Ward has two polling locations: Delaware Community School for Districts 1-5 and William S. Hackett Middle School for Districts 6-8. A new polling location will serve voters in the 14th Ward and the 8th Ward, Districts 1-4. The specific address for this new location is not provided in the February 11, 2026, budget information. ## Unspecified Details and Future Public Engagement While the budget proposal outlines overall financial figures and strategic reductions, the records do not specify the detailed impacts of these staff expense reductions on particular programs or services. The projected magnitude of the anticipated decline in enrollment is also not detailed in the available documents. Similarly, the specific amounts of the temporary federal COVID-19 relief funding that concluded are not itemized. Residents can review additional information in the district's budget newsletter, as indicated in the February 11, 2026, budget information. Furthermore, the district scheduled a public hearing for the 2025-26 Contract for Excellence on Thursday, September 11, from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Harriet Gibbons Student Services Center, located at 75 Watervliet Ave. Written comments regarding the Contract for Excellence plan were accepted until August 28, according to the February 11, 2026, Contract for Excellence document.