District overview
Bay Shore Union Free School District
How Bay Shore Schools is funded, who decides, what it spends and what is underway.
How is Bay Shore funded, and who decides?
Bay Shore is a New York 'union free' school district serving Bay Shore and Brightwaters in the Town of Islip. Its 2026-27 budget is $211.7 million. About 59% comes from the property tax levy and about 40% from state aid. Residents vote on the budget and elect board members each May. A state tax cap limits how fast the levy can grow.
Property taxes pay about 59% of the budget
The 2026-27 levy is $124.3 million, up 1.5% from $122.5 million. The district says this is within the state tax cap. The tax rate set in September 2026 is $23.73 per $1,000 of assessed value for homes and $32.99 for businesses.
State aid is the second big source
State aid is projected at $84.3 million, up from $76.6 million. The state budget was late this year, which delayed the final state aid numbers the board uses.
Five elected volunteers run the board
Five trustees serve unpaid three-year terms and are elected by district voters. They hire the superintendent, Steven Maloney, who runs daily operations. The board meets about twice a month: a 5 p.m. work session followed by a public session.
Old lawsuits now shape the budget
The district settled 16 more Child Victims Act lawsuits for $44.5 million. Former insurers pay $31.35 million. The district's $13.1 million share is paid through bonds, so debt payments rise from $4.7 million to $11.4 million in 2026-27.
Staying under the tax cap and a 1.5% levy increase do not show how much room the budget has. The records collected do not include the May 19, 2026 vote count or the audited fund balance.
Where the district stands
Up 4.7% from $202,138,570 in 2025-26. Board approved sending it to voters on April 21, 2026.
Up from $122,455,841 (+1.5%). District says within the tax cap.
Up from $76,647,729 in 2025-26.
Up from $4,692,248 (+142.5%); new bonds for lawsuit settlements and an energy project.
Up 6.1% from $32,716,763; the largest program line after regular day school ($60.3 million).
Insurers pay $31,354,977; the district's $13,145,023 share is financed with bonds.
Figure from federal school data (NCES), not stated in the collected district documents.
Calculation: $211,651,256 budget divided by about 5,854 students. Includes transportation, benefits, debt service and central costs, so it is not a classroom-only figure.
Reported by the director of world languages, ENL and dual language.
Major projects
Child Victims Act settlements and repayment
Settled; repaying through 2036The board approved 16 settlements in December 2025 and sold $11.875 million in bonds in February 2026 to pay the district's share. The superintendent said two cases remain, one fully insured and one on appeal. Another $75,000 settled claim was funded in August 2026.
- Board approves settlement agreements with former insurers
- Board authorizes up to $13,145,023 in serial bonds
- Board awards $11.875 million bonds and adds $44.5 million to the 2025-26 budget
- Board authorizes $75,000 budget revision for another settled claim
Funding
Former insurers $31.35 million; district bonds repaid by Feb. 1, 2036 ($14.98 million with interest)
Special education wing and building upgrades
Construction planned from summer 2026A new eight-classroom special education wing at the middle school, relocation of cooking and sewing rooms, boiler replacements at Mary G. Clarkson and Gardiner Manor, and air-conditioning work at the high school auditorium. The district says these projects can take several years.
- Staff present the middle school construction timeline
- Board starts environmental review for high school auditorium air-conditioning
- Budget year begins with $7.5 million transfer to the capital fund
Funding
$7.5 million transfer from the 2026-27 operating budget (expected to be eligible for state building aid)
Johnson Controls energy performance contract
Contract amendment tabled Sept. 2026The district is changing its energy-savings contract with Johnson Controls to drop solar panels and new roofs and add new boilers tied to new controls. The superintendent said in August 2026 that the project is nearing completion. The board tabled the amendment on September 23, 2026.
- Update: contract being amended to remove solar and roofs
- Superintendent says project is nearing completion
- Board tables the contract amendment
Funding
Paid through district debt service, with the district expecting energy savings
IB Career-related Program
Begins fall 2026A career-focused option at the high school, with healthcare and business pathways, in partnership with Northwell Health. 31 students had signed up by April 2026.
- Board hears Northwell Health partnership plan
- Application submitted, site visit held, 31 students signed up
- District goals say program starts in 2026-27
Funding
Not stated in the collected records
Recent news
Built from the district's posted board agendas and minutes (October 2025 to October 2026), board-meeting recordings with auto-generated captions, the 2026-27 budget work-session slides and mailed budget newsletter, and district policy pages. Figures marked verified appear in a stored district document; calculations and outside figures are marked context.
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