District overview
Schenectady City School District
How Schenectady City School District is funded, who decides, what it spends and what is being built
Who pays for Schenectady's schools?
Schenectady City School District serves about 9,000 students in eleven elementary schools, three middle schools and a high school campus. Most of its money comes from New York State, not from local property taxes. For 2026-27 the board adopted a $310.5 million budget; about $234 million of it is expected state aid and only about $59 million comes from taxes. The tax levy has not gone up for eight years in a row, so a simple majority of voters can pass the budget.
State aid is about three-quarters of revenue
The adopted 2026-27 budget counts $234.1 million in state aid (Foundation Aid alone is proposed at $178.4 million), up from $222.9 million. How much the state finally pays depends on the state budget, which was not yet passed in April.
Local taxes are held flat
The district could have raised the levy by up to 3.06% ($1.58 million) under the state cap but chose 0% for the eighth year, so the budget needs only a simple majority at the May vote.
Savings fill the gap
The budget uses $12.9 million of fund balance (savings), up from $9.5 million, while health and dental costs rise from $27.7 million to $33.5 million. Pay raises are still being negotiated with five unions.
Seven unpaid elected board members decide
The board is elected at large to three-year terms in the May vote (three seats in 2026), hires the superintendent, Dr. Carlos M. Cotto Jr., adopts the budget and policies, and holds two meetings a month, usually Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., alternating votes and work sessions. A non-voting student representative also sits on the board.
A flat tax levy does not mean flat costs: the budget grows 5.09% and relies on one-time savings and state aid that the state can change. These records do not show whether future years will need cuts or a tax increase.
Where the district stands
Up $15,029,055 (5.09%) from $295.5 million in 2025-26.
Up from $222.9 million. Depends on the final state budget.
Up from $9,544,949 in 2025-26.
Includes $16.1 million unassigned; the audit opinion was unmodified.
Described by the district as a $300 million plan.
3,025 incidents involving 1,386 students.
Described as recovering from a post-COVID dip; cohort year not stated.
$310,543,670 divided by about 9,053 students (federal enrollment figure). Includes transportation, benefits, debt and facilities, so it is not what is spent in a classroom.
Major projects
Schenectady Revitalization Plan 2030 (school building projects)
In construction at Schenectady High and Mont Pleasant; Keane in design and relocation yearA voter-approved $300 million program to rebuild and upgrade schools. The high school core got state approval in November 2025 with work from February 2026 to summer 2028; Mont Pleasant is under construction with a district commissary kitchen due about spring 2027; Keane students are at Fulton for 2026-27 while that building is rebuilt over two years; design is under way at Central Park and Howe.
- State approves the Schenectady High School core design (November 2025)
- Board adopts resolution seeking doubled state aid limit for Keane
- High school core work begins (south wing to summer 2027, north wing to summer 2028)
- Board sees construction video update; Keane students at Fulton
- Howe families ask board to protect the school field during site studies
Funding
$300 million voter-approved capital referendum plus state building aid; the board asked the state in December 2025 for a one-time doubled aid limit for Keane.
Property purchases and State Street lease approved May 2026
Approved by votersVoters approved buying 80 Nott Terrace (up to $3.5 million bond) for adult and continuing education, buying 1080 Catlin St. (up to $850,000) so operations and maintenance can leave Mont Pleasant, and a 20-year lease of part of 433 State St. for City As Our Campus, Early College and P-TECH.
- Board adopts bond resolution for 80 Nott Terrace
- Board puts three propositions on the ballot
- Voters approve all three
- Board certifies results
Funding
Bond for Nott Terrace; operating fund balance for Catlin St.; operating budget for State Street rent (up to $220,000 a year, rising 1.5% yearly).
Improvement plans for three receivership schools
Plans accepted by the state; new executive director hiredKeane, Lincoln and Pleasant Valley Elementary must show state-set improvement in attendance and test results. Continuation plans were written in May-June 2026, accepted by the state in July, and the board created an executive director of district improvement on August 5, 2026. A public hearing for Lincoln was set for September 29, 2026.
- Board hears how the state accountability system flags schools
- Continuation plans drafted in May-June and submitted to the state in July; accepted by August 5
- Board approves executive director of district improvement
- Lincoln receivership public hearing
Funding
A special grant pays for the executive director position.
Review of suspension rules and discipline data
Policy 7313 rewrite paused for wider input; 2026-27 Code of Character adoptedAfter data showed a 15.3% suspension rate in 2024-25 with higher risk for Black students and students with disabilities, the board debated about five times how to word its suspension policy, sent it back to the policy committee in May 2026, and adopted the 2026-27 Code of Character on August 5.
- Board reviews five years of suspension data
- Board debates wording of policy 7313
- Policy sent back to policy committee for broader input
- 2026-27 Code of Character, Conduct and Support adopted
Funding
No separate budget line identified in the records; some supports are funded through grants.
Independent special education audit
In progressThe board approved the special education plan in November 2025 so it could be attached to a request for proposals; by June 2026 the Schmitt Leadership Group was running the audit and parents were invited to an anonymous online survey.
- Board approves special education plan and an audit RFP is planned
- Audit under way; family survey opens
Funding
Not stated in the records reviewed.
Recent news
Built from the district's official website, 20 recorded board meetings and work sessions with auto-generated YouTube captions, board budget presentations, the 2026-27 and 2025-26 budget books, the audited financial statements, strategic and improvement plans, and 41 weekly superintendent letters. The district posts board agendas, minutes and attachments on BoardDocs, which could not be stored here.
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