District overview
City School District of Albany
How Albany's public schools are funded, governed and what is being built
How is Albany's school budget paid for?
Albany's $371.5 million 2026-27 budget is paid for mainly by New York State (about 57%), with city property taxes covering about 34%. That mix has shifted: ten years ago, in 2016-17, taxes paid about 49% and state aid about 42%. The district is governed by a seven-member Board of Education elected citywide to four-year terms (no pay), usually in May on the same day as the budget vote. A student member from Albany High also sits with the board. The board adopts the budget and policies; voters approve the budget and capital projects such as bond-funded building work.
State aid is the largest piece
State aid is budgeted at $211.6 million (57%) for 2026-27, up $25.9 million. Foundation aid, the main state formula, rose about $18.6 million.
Property taxes are 34% and rising slowly
The tax levy rises 1.22% to $124.96 million, all tied to the elementary busing proposition. The district says its average yearly increase over the past decade is 0.8%.
Charter schools take a large share
Over 20% of Albany students attend charter schools. Charter tuition payments are budgeted at $48.9 million, up from $43.1 million, about 13 cents of every budget dollar.
Reserves help balance the budget
The district uses $14.2 million from reserves and fund balance for 2026-27, up from $12.6 million. Those one-time savings are not guaranteed to be available again.
A budget that leans on state aid depends on Albany's state funding staying steady. It does not mean the budget is poorly run: voters have approved it with about 80% support four years in a row.
Where the district stands
Up 8.5% from $342.4 million in 2025-26. Approved by voters 2,494 to 609 on May 19, 2026.
Property taxes are about 34%; the rest is local non-tax revenue, reserves and federal aid.
Levy of $124,963,620. Estimated school tax on a home without STAR rises $47 to $3,571 (district estimate).
Property tax report card figure for 2026-27, up 0.46% from 8,312. The district also says it serves more than 9,000 students counting pre-K and other programs.
State report card figure for 2024-25 ($266.2 million over 8,493 pupils; statewide $31,791). Covers all spending, not school-building allocations.
Up $5.8 million (13%) from $43.1 million.
Four-year terms. Two seats (Damarise Mann, Anne Savage) are up in May 2027.
Major projects
$98 million facilities project (Proposition 3)
Approved by voters May 19, 2026; in designWork at every school building: large spaces (auditoriums, cafeterias, libraries, gyms, playgrounds), secure entrances and door access, fire alarm and PA systems, roofs, and energy projects such as heating and cooling at some schools. The district says it has no extra tax impact.
- Board hears building condition survey and a possible capital project
- Board adopts resolutions for a project of about $97.97 million and puts it on the ballot
- Voters approve Proposition 3, 2,502 to 600
- Engineers tell the board the survey found about $224.8 million of needs, about $50 million overlapping this project
Funding
About $71 million state building aid, an $11.3 million NYSERDA grant for heating and cooling at three schools, and up to $9.3 million from the capital reserve
Bonds are authorized up to $88.7 million.
Elementary busing expansion (Proposition 2)
Approved May 19, 2026; started 2026-27K-5 students who live one mile or more from school can ride a bus (previously 1.5 miles), including charter, private and church-school students in Albany. About 450 to 500 more students, 11 new buses.
- Staff present busing scenarios under the state's Child Safety Zone rules
- Board adopts budget with the busing proposition
- Voters approve Proposition 2, 2,561 to 537
- Board adopts updated transportation policy
Funding
About $1.51 million a year from a 1.22% tax levy increase; the state is expected to repay about 80% the following year
Albany High School reconstruction
Largely complete; ribbon cutting heldA $190 million capital project at Albany High, described by staff in February 2026 as finished. The district is now paying back the loan, and the reopened building hosts concerts and community events.
- Staff note the $190 million project is finished and loan payments start
- Community forum with high school tours of the finished project
Funding
State building aid and district bonds (details not in the collected documents)
Recent news
Built from the 2026-27 budget statement and district budget page, the district's Board of Education pages and news posts, and auto-generated captions from the board's YouTube meeting recordings from October 2025 to September 2026. Figures marked verified appear in a collected district document; calculations and outside comparisons are marked context.
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