North Babylon board reviews $20.87M budget, boosts special-education spending and creates PPS coordinator position

The North Babylon Union Free School District Board of Education heard detailed presentations on the district’s special-education programs and staffing as it finalized expenditure plans for the proposed 2026–27 budget.

Assistant Superintendent for Special Education Lori Melish told the board the district has seen a rise in school-age students with disabilities and proposed bolstering in-district supports rather than relying on external contractors. Melish highlighted a speech-language improvement program that served 20 elementary students this year, a Youth Science exam pathway that helped 24 learners meet graduation requirements, and a new Medicaid reimbursement stream projected to bring about $120,000 in revenue this year. “The number of school age students with disabilities is an important number,” Melish said, noting the figure drives both legal responsibilities and instructional supports.

Melish described several pilot and curricular initiatives included in the expenditure presentation: a half-year SEAL pilot, use of Teachtown for alternate-assessment learners, and a proposed Spire multi-sensory reading pilot for targeted special-education students. She said the Spire pilot would start only if the Committee on Accessibility/Choice (CAC) approves it; 10 special-education teachers have volunteered for training and administrators hope to continue instruction into the summer.

On contracted services, Melish said the budget increases reflect mandated related services, expanded behavioral and mental-health supports, and nursing needs. She told the board that last year the district reduced reliance on outside contractors by hiring two speech pathologists and shifting work into salary lines.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources presented staffing outlooks and program-driven additions. The administration told the board it expects 11 retirements and plans replacements and targeted additions — including an ENL teacher, additional AIS sections, coaches and program reassignments tied to new courses and pilot programs. The proposed 2026–27 budget total presented in the meeting was $20,871,191, a $920,561 (4.7%) increase over the prior year; the administration said roughly $400,000 of that increase is being allocated to charter-school tuition impacts.

The board voted to create a new position, "Coordinator for Pupil Personnel Services," effective July 1, 2026, and approved related motions presented on the consent calendar. The motion to create the position was made, seconded, and carried in open session.

Next procedural steps: the administration said final state aid numbers and revenue assumptions are expected by the April 14 meeting, at which point the board will revisit the revenue side of the budget before the May 19 budget vote and election.