Public votePassed
2026-27 school budget ($283,735,894)
Middletown · $283,735,894
Voters approved the budget, 787 yes to 273 no, with a 1.99% tax levy increase.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
District overview
Enlarged City School District of Middletown
How Middletown's schools are funded, who decides, and what is underway.
Who pays for Middletown's schools, and who approves the budget?
Mostly state-funded; voters approve the budget each May
The Enlarged City School District of Middletown (Orange County) runs seven schools on a 2026-27 budget of $283,735,894. Most of that money comes from New York State aid rather than local property taxes, so the state budget matters a great deal. Each May, district voters decide the budget and elect trustees to the nine-member Board of Education. If the tax levy stays under the state limit, the budget passes with a simple majority; if it fails, the district must hold the levy at last year's amount.
State aid is the largest source
The 2026-27 budget book shows state aid at 68.7% of revenue and real property taxes at 26.8%. State aid was set at about $195.0 million, up about 0.6% from the year before; the part for operations grew only about 0.1% once pre-kindergarten aid is set aside.
Voters decide each spring
On May 19, 2026 voters approved the budget 787 to 273. The tax levy rose 1.99% to $76.07 million, under the state limit. The business official said state rules would have allowed an increase of up to 4.87%.
Savings were used to hold taxes down
The district used $3,497,101 of unappropriated fund balance (savings) to balance 2026-27; it used none in 2025-26. The general fund balance was $57.0 million at June 30, 2025, with $18.1 million unassigned. Trustees said the district also drew on reserves and plans to repay them.
Nine unpaid trustees set policy and hire the superintendent
Trustees serve three-year unpaid terms, are elected at the May vote, and generally meet on the first and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Middletown High School library media center. Two student members sit as non-voting members.
None of this says the budget is out of balance. The district's savings are large, and trustees say they help keep borrowing costs low. But the plan counts on state aid arriving at levels not yet final when the budget was adopted, and the 2025 audit and 2026 board votes show the district also faces legal and personnel questions that this page cannot resolve.
Where the district stands
2026-27 school budgetverified
$283,735,894
Up $7,318,890 (2.65%) from $276,417,004 in 2025-26. Approved by voters May 19, 2026.
2026-27 property tax levyverified
$76,069,504
Up $1,484,247 (1.99%) from $74,585,256, below the state tax limit.
State aid share of revenueverified
68.7%
State aid $195,049,789; real property taxes 26.8%; fund balance 1.2%; other revenue 3.3%.
Savings used to balance 2026-27verified
$3,497,101
None was used in 2025-26. The board's April 9 presentation shows this is 1.6% of revenue.
General fund balance, June 30, 2025verified
$57,021,073
Up from $53,035,214 a year earlier; $18,099,406 unassigned and $35,447,242 restricted.
Total net position, June 30, 2025verified
$133,204,716
Up $28,307,634 from the prior year, per the district's audit.
Budget vote, May 19, 2026 (yes votes)verified
787 votes
273 voted no, so about 74% of ballots on the budget were yes.
Student enrollmentcontext
7,529 students
Approximate enrollment from federal school-district data; the district's collected documents do not state a current figure. Moody's lists 7,285 for 2023.
Budget per studentcontext
$37,686
Calculation: $283,735,894 divided by about 7,529 students. It includes transportation, benefits, debt and buildings, not just classroom spending.
Moody's issuer rating (April 2024)verified
Aa3 rating
Issuer rating shown on a Moody's comment (dated April 15, 2024) that the district posts on its budget page.
Major projects
Twin Towers Middle School renovation and addition
in_progressA multi-year rebuild of the 1940s building with a four-story addition, new cafeteria and fitness space, geothermal heating and cooling, and renovation of the existing building in phases. Board reports say it is on schedule; a new section is expected to open to students in fall 2026.
Open the new section after the certificate of occupancy, then renovate the existing building in phases over several years.
- Contractors tell the board the project is on time and on budget; a four-story addition is rising and 19 rooftop HVAC units are in.
- Board approves six change orders, including replacing unsuitable soil and adding a card reader on an elevator.
- Facilities report says the project is more than half complete.
- Superintendent says a new section is on schedule to open to students at the start of school and a certificate of occupancy is expected.
Funding
Voter-approved bonds and capital reserve money; the collected records do not state the full project cost.
A monitoring firm reported about $80 million of construction contracts overseen for local and minority hiring goals (Oct. 21, 2025).
2025 construction improvements and capital reserve
approvedVoters approved a $45.6 million construction proposition and a new 20-year, up to $20 million capital reserve fund in May 2025. The construction money comes from bonds, capital reserve and fund balance.
Individual projects are expected to come to the board through bids and change orders; the collected records do not itemize them.
- Voters approve Proposition 3 (580-156) and Proposition 2, the capital reserve (591-152).
Funding
$26,707,662 in bonds, $8,462,662 from capital reserve and $10,474,676 from fund balance
The 2025 audit shows the new capital reserve funded with $12 million.
2026-27 budget cycle and the next one
completeThe 2026-27 budget moved from information sessions to board presentations, adoption and a public vote. It held the levy increase to 1.99% by using savings.
Budget information sessions are expected to resume this fall, as on Nov. 3, 2025.
- First community budget information session.
- Board adopts the $283,735,894 budget for the ballot.
- Voters approve the budget and elect three trustees.
Funding
State aid, property taxes, other revenue and $3.5 million of fund balance
State budget was unfinished when the board adopted the budget.
Preparing for New York's Portrait of a Graduate diplomas
in_progressThe board's 2026-27 goals call for reviewing test results, curriculum and support programs at scheduled meetings as the state moves toward new graduation requirements. Trustees said the Regents exam requirement is set to end in 2028.
Board report on state test results and instructional alignment on November 5, 2026.
- Board approves its 2026-27 goals, including scheduled academic progress reports.
- Trustees discuss the new graduation framework and its effect on classes and testing.
Funding
No separate cost is stated in the collected records.
The superintendent's presentation to state officials was cited by trustees.
Local elections & school board members
Elections & votes
Board electionPassed
Board of Education election, three seats (terms July 2026 to June 2029)
Middletown
Edwin Estrada (548), Freddie Williams Jr. (506) and Curtis Rhett (492) won the three seats over Deymiss Caraballo (470), Terry Randolph (460) and Marcia Maragh (410).
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
BondPassed
Proposition 3: construction improvements to district buildings (up to $45,645,000)
Middletown · $45,645,000
Voters approved construction and reconstruction work funded by $26.7 million in bonds, $8.5 million of capital reserve and $10.5 million of fund balance; 580 yes, 156 no.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
Public votePassed
Proposition 2: create a $20 million 2025 Capital Reserve Fund
Middletown · $20,000,000
Voters approved a 20-year capital reserve of up to $20 million funded from surplus fund balance; 591 yes, 152 no.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
Board electionProposed
2027 annual budget vote and Board of Education election
Middletown
New York school districts hold the annual budget vote and board election on the third Tuesday in May, which would be May 18, 2027. The district has not yet posted the 2027 notice; seat holders with terms that began in July 2024 would be up.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
School board members
- Denise RomeroPresident[email protected]
- Rose TobiassenVice President[email protected]
- Andrew Moore[email protected]
- John Perrino[email protected]
- Dr. Patricia DeJesus[email protected]
- John Williams[email protected]
- Edwin Estrada[email protected]
- Curtis Rhett[email protected]
- Freddie Williams Jr.[email protected]
Recent news
Built from the district's published budget book and budget presentations, vote results, audit report, board goals and policies, and transcripts of 14 Board of Education meetings from October 2025 through October 2026. Meeting transcripts are machine-made captions; agendas and minutes are not part of this record.
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