New York voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to decide on their local school district budgets and board elections for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.
Voters across the state approved 96 percent of proposed school district budgets, according to preliminary results compiled by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA). A total of 633 district budgets were approved, while 28 were defeated.
“We have become accustomed to seeing high budget approval rates every year because voters recognize the importance of public education and that school boards take their responsibilities as stewards of their schools very seriously,” said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert Schneider. “The school budget creation process was especially difficult this year because with the late state budget, school boards had to guess at how much education aid they would receive from the state.”
Here are the results for Sullivan County school districts, along with a few other school districts across the Catskills we were watching.
All results are considered preliminary until approved by the district’s board of education.
Eldred Central School District
Eldred Central School District’s budget of $20.8 million passed with 133 Yes – 45 No.
Proposition #2 for Sunshine Library passed by 144 Yes – 35 No.
Proposition #3 to purchase 13 school buses and related equipment passed by 123 Yes – 55 No.
Margaret Blaut and Justin Brundage won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Eldred Central School District website.
Ellenville Central School District
Ellenville Central School District’s budget of $71.6 million passed with 480 Yes – 215 No.
Laura Villegas, Steven Levine, and Philip Mattracion won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Ellenville Central School District website.
Fallsburg Central School District
Fallsburg Central School District’s budget of $68.3 million passed with 83 Yes – 22 No.
Renee Kates, Verna Greer, and Colleen Piccioti won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Fallsburg Central School District website.
Goshen Central School District
Goshen Central School District’s budget failed with 559 No – 497 Yes.
Roy Reese and John Sullivan won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Goshen Central School District website.
Liberty Central School District
Liberty Central School District’s budget of $72 million passed with 715 Yes – 159 No.
Maureen Stabak, Eugene Thalmann, and Erin Abplanalp won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Liberty Central School District website.
Enlarged City School of Middletown
Enlarged City School of Middletown’s budget of $283.7 million passed with 786 Yes – 273 No.
Curtis Rhett, Freddie Williams, and Edwin Estrada won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Enlarged City School of Middletown website.
Minisink Valley Central School District
Minisink Valley Central School District’s budget of $130.2 million passed with 1,043 Yes – 684 No.
The proposal to purchase 10 new school buses also passed.
Ruth A. Luis, Patricia M. Reynolds, and Shawn Cahill won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Minisink Valley Central School District website.
Monticello Central School District
Monticello Central School District’s budget of $106.9 million passed with 583 Yes – 427 No.
Helen Jersey, Heather Fassell, Wendy Galligan-Weiner, and Roberto Bravo-Colon won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Monticello Central School District website.
Pine Bush Central School District
Pine Bush Central School District’s budget of $153.1 million passed with 992 Yes – 679 No.
Phillip Salinardi and Kristi Kheiralla won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Pine Bush Central School District website.
Port Jervis Central School District
Port Jervis Central School District’s budget of $106.2 passed with 532 Yes – 189 No.
Eric Hipsman, Catherine Sadaghiani, and Judith Amato won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Port Jervis Central School District website.
Rockland Central School District
Rockland Central School District’s budget of $33.9 million with 431 Yes – 310 No.
Melissa Hess, Jill Smith, and Alys Mann won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Rockland Central School District website.
Rondout Valley Central School District
Rondout Valley Central School District’s budget of $82 million passed with 1031 Yes – 376 No.
Matthew Nusbaum, Sidney Hymes, and Charles Dinstuhl won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Rondout Valley Central School District website.
Roxbury Central School District
Roxbury Central School District’s budget of $12.1 million failed with 150 No – 133 Yes.
The proposition for capital project for improvements failed with 202 No – 79 Yes.
Kelli Winnie won a seat on the school board.
Find more information on the Roxbury Central School District website.
Sullivan West Central School District
Sullivan West Central School District’s budget of $44.1 million passed with 322 Yes – 83 No.
Proposition to approve use of 2016 capital reserve funds was approved with 348 Yes – 56 No.
Kathleen Meckle, Matthew Halloran, and Shannan Armbrust won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Sullivan West Central School District website.
Tri-Valley Central School District
Tri-Valley Central School District’s budget of $39.6 million passed with 184 Yes – 93 No.
Timothy Dymond, Ian Constable, and Kalyn Bertholf won seats on the school board.
Find more information on the Tri-Valley Central School District website.
Image: Fallsburg Central School District polling location in Fallsburg, New York (Photo Credit: Patricio Robayo)