District overview
East Ramapo Central School District
How East Ramapo is funded, who decides, and what is underway.
Who decides for East Ramapo schools?
Nine trustees, each elected from one of nine wards for three-year terms, govern the district and set its budget, policies and hiring. Since state laws in 2016 and 2021, two state-appointed monitors also sit with the board. They write the district's three-year academic and financial plan, approve or reject the choice of superintendent, and can override board resolutions that break the law or the plan. The district also pays to bus tens of thousands of students to private schools, which shapes its budget more than in most districts.
Trustees come from nine wards
Under a federal court order, only some wards elect a trustee each year. In 2026 only Wards 3, 5 and 8 voted on trustees, while all wards voted on the budget. Regular board meetings are the first and third Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at 105 South Madison Avenue, Spring Valley, with a YouTube livestream.
State monitors hold real power
The monitors report to the Commissioner and the Regents, can require board training, and can substitute resolutions. In March 2026 trustees said the monitors rejected their unanimous pick for superintendent; in June the monitors approved a second candidate, Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, who started July 8, 2026.
Leadership has changed often
Trustees say East Ramapo has had five superintendents or interim superintendents in ten years. The monitors say missing permanent leadership is a main reason required plan actions were late.
Oversight of money was weak
A forensic review presented August 18, 2026 found a $24 million deficit warning from February 2024 could not be supported and recommended an independent audit committee and monthly reconciliations.
None of this shows that day-to-day schools are failing. Hiring is catching up (about 96 percent of budgeted classroom teachers were filled in August 2026) and the audit called the earlier finance problems fixable. The records reviewed are meeting recordings rather than minutes, so some decisions are described only as stated aloud.
Where the district stands
Up about $19.4 million (5.56 percent) from 2025-26. Voters approved it May 19, 2026, 940 to 443.
Unchanged from 2025-26 (0 percent). The board removed a proposed 1.28 percent increase in April 2026. The district reports a school tax rate of $9.45 per $1,000 of assessed value, the lowest among neighbors it compared, such as Suffern at $15.69.
Up about $18.5 million (10.58 percent) from $167.4 million. State aid is now 50.2 percent of revenue and property tax just under 45 percent; three years earlier property tax was over half.
Up from about $67 million (17.56 percent). Moves about 45,000 students, many to private schools; the state reimburses roughly 80 to 82 cents on each eligible dollar.
Federal figure for the public district. Administrators said enrollment is declining, and cut expected foundation aid by $2 million for 2026-27.
Context only: $367,649,590 divided by 10,091 students. It includes busing for tens of thousands of non-public students and special education, so it overstates what is spent in classrooms.
Compared with 90 percent for all of September 2025.
Six of 33 goals fully met, 13 partly met, 13 not met; the four-year graduation rate fell and chronic absenteeism rose.
Major projects
State monitors' three-year academic and financial plan
Draft in public commentA plan of more than 100 recommendations covers high school redesign, a course catalog, pre-K, a twilight school, budget calendars, transportation, special education and Medicaid reimbursement. Missed items become violations the district must fix.
- Superintendent reports 59 of 81 prior actions done; eight violations in progress
- Public hearing on the new plan
- Plan and public comments due
Funding
District budget and federal Title grants (about $60 million in Title funds)
Busing overhaul
In progressThe 2025-26 busing startup failed. A consultant found weak oversight of more than 35 contractors. The district moved private-school applications to school-signed affidavits, bid non-public busing by the student, and set up a school-bus safety committee.
- Consultant interim report on the failed startup
- Per-student bids for non-public busing reviewed
- Planned transition date for routes
- Bus app live; GPS tracking not ready for school start
Funding
Local budget (about $79 million for 2026-27) with state transportation aid
Energy performance contract
Financing stageLED lights in all but four buildings, a central heating and cooling control system, new classroom ventilators in seven buildings, and insulation. The work must pay for itself within 18 years. Debt service rises 24 percent in the 2026-27 budget.
- Board approves the project with Amoresco
- Financing on the board agenda
Funding
Bank financing paid through debt service, repaid from energy savings
Classroom cooling
Interim fixesMany buildings lack classroom air conditioning. The district installs window units and sent 160 portable coolers to schools in May 2026, and says broader improvements may take about three years.
- Interim superintendent says a multi-year air conditioning plan is in progress
- 160 portable coolers distributed after a hot day
Funding
District budget transfers; amounts not stated
Recent news
Built from the district's recorded board meetings (auto-generated captions of YouTube recordings, Oct. 2025 to Sept. 2026), its posted 2026-27 budget documents, board policies, and the district's own election results. Board agendas and minutes live on BoardDocs, which could not be collected, so decisions are described from what was said aloud in meetings.
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