District overview
Copiague Union Free School District
How Copiague schools are funded, governed and what is underway
How is this district funded?
Copiague's 2026-27 budget is $199.5 million. About 53 cents of every dollar comes from New York State aid, 37 cents from the local property tax levy, and 9 cents from savings (fund balance and reserves). The rest is small items such as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs). A state cap limits how fast the levy can grow, and the district says this year's 2.71% increase is within it. Voters approve the budget each May.
State aid is the biggest source
The budget counts $105.6 million in state aid, 52.94% of revenue. The March work sessions used the Governor's proposed aid numbers, which are estimates until the state budget is final.
The tax levy is capped
The levy is $73.6 million, up $1.94 million (2.71%) from $71.7 million. The estimated school tax rate in the March 30 slides is $237.9501 per $100 of assessed value.
Savings fill a bigger gap this year
The district plans to use $17.1 million of fund balance and reserves, up from $10.6 million in 2025-26. That money can only be spent once.
Special education and transportation drive growth
Spending on students with disabilities rises from $44.7 million to $52.0 million, and pupil transportation rises 9.18% to $19.0 million, which includes the first year of a five-year transportation contract.
Rising costs for required services such as special education are not a sign of poor management on their own. These documents do not explain why the costs rose.
Where the district stands
Up 6.79% from $186,785,416 in 2025-26.
Up 2.71% from $71,664,000. Voters approved the budget 422 to 214 on May 19, 2026.
52.94% of revenue; based on the Governor's proposed aid.
Up from $10,620,118 (+61%); 8.56% of the budget.
Up from $44,736,859 (+16.3%); about 26% of the budget.
Up from $1,000,000 in 2025-26.
The district describes about 4,500 students in kindergarten through grade 12 in four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.
Context only: $199,472,437 divided by about 4,500 students. It includes transportation, benefits, debt and special education, so it is not a school-level allocation.
Up $448,307 from the prior year, per the 2024-25 audit.
Major projects
2026-27 school budget
Adopted and approved by votersThe board built the budget in two March work sessions, trimmed it by $964,628 after retirements and resignations, adopted $199.5 million on April 21, and held a public hearing May 5. Voters approved it May 19.
- Budget work session #1
- Budget work session #2; budget trimmed by $964,628
- Board adopts the budget
- Public hearing
- Budget vote: 422 yes, 214 no
Funding
State aid, property tax levy and fund balance
$199,472,437 total.
Building improvements funded by capital fund transfers
Possible projects listed; none scheduledThe district says savings transferred to its capital fund could pay for districtwide electrical, fire alarm, security, HVAC and classroom upgrades, solar panels on all buildings, a new athletic field grandstand, and remodeling Deauville Gardens East and West elementary schools (nurses' offices, library expansion, toilets).
- Budget with a $2,000,000 capital fund transfer adopted
Funding
Annual transfers from the operating budget to the capital fund
$2,000,000 in 2026-27, up from $1,000,000. No project costs or start dates are published in these documents.
Career and technical education expansion
Being exploredThe budget newsletter says the district is exploring more career and technical education (CTE) opportunities. The 2026-27 district priorities add work with Western Suffolk BOCES on technical endorsements and industry credentials.
- Voters approve a budget that includes the exploration
Funding
Operating budget and BOCES services
No separate dollar amount is published.
Figures marked verified come from the district's own posted documents (2026-27 budget hearing slides, adopted budget summary, budget newsletter, 2024-25 audit, board and district web pages). Derived figures are marked context. Board agendas and minutes (BoardDocs site ny/copiague) were not part of the documents read for this page.
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