Voters overwhelmingly approved the City School District of Albany’s 2021-22 budget Tuesday, with a record 76% saying “yes” to the $270.3 million proposal.
The budget maintains all current programs and staffing, and also includes new investments designed to help students' academic and social-emotional growth as we return from the challenges COVID-19 has presented.
"Our children's future is brighter today," said Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams. "We thank our community for the continued support with the passage of the 2021-22 budget.
"We look forward to the opportunity of rebuilding and accelerating the learning for our children in order to ensure that they have a brighter and stronger future."
Voters approved the budget 1,718-544. The 76% approval surpassed the 75% approval in 2017. It is the sixth time in seven years that the budget has passed with more than 70% approval.
One year after the highest voter turnout in district history (10,641) in the all-absentee pandemic voting of 2020, the 2,262 total votes were the lowest since the school district began budget votes in 1997. The previous low was 2,792 total votes in 2014.
The budget includes a 0.95% tax-levy increase, the eighth year in a row the district has maintained the increase below 2% and the fifth time in that period it has been less than 1%.
Separate from the budget, the district also will invest federal COVID-19 relief funds for the 2021-22 school year to support additional staffing and program additions. These items will have no impact on taxes.
You can visit our budget section for more information.
Voters also confirmed incumbent Board of Education Vice President Vickie Smith and board member Sridar Chittur, Ph.D., for new four-year terms that will begin July 1. There were no other candidates in the board election.
