April 2025
Dear Yorktown School Community, 

Each year we engage in a comprehensive budget development process to ensure that we can fully and appropriately meet the needs of our students while demonstrating a genuine effort to limit the impact to the tax levy.  Year after year, we have been able to build upon our robust academic and extra-classroom offerings while also maintaining one of the lowest average tax levy increases in the region.  In fact, over the last eight years, we have the 4th lowest average tax levy increase in all of Westchester and Putnam Counties.  

We believe that we have once again been able to develop a budget that provides students the excellent educational opportunities that have become synonymous with Yorktown while limiting the increase to the tax levy.  Most notably, the 2025-26 school budget:

• Maintains class sizes at, or below, Board of Education guidelines;

• Keeps all of the outstanding programs currently offered to students intact;

• Reduces our dependence on fund balance which will provide long-term fiscal strength for our district;

• Adds two (2) Literacy Coaches;

• Adds one (1) MESMS Academic Intervention Services Teacher in English Language Arts (ELA);

• Expands FlexPath Program at YHS from 14 to 18 seats; 

• Provides for American Sign Language Sections;

• 1.0 FTE District-wide Tech Support; and

• Provides additional office support for our Facilities Department.

We deeply and sincerely believe the proposed 1.74% increase to the tax levy demonstrates a profound sensitivity to taxpayers while providing our students with the best possible educational experience.  Our budget is below the tax levy cap, and results in an estimated tax rate increase of 1.12% for the Town of Yorktown (which comprises over 96% of our tax base).  We estimate a 9.46% tax rate increase for New Castle and 7.59% increase for Cortlandt.  It is important to note that the estimated tax rate increases are a result of state equalization rates and are not set by the District. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Board and our administrative team for their effort in developing the 2025-26 budget. The budget vote and trustee election will be held on Tuesday, May 20, from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. in the French Hill School. 

As always, we thank you for your incredible support of the excellent work happening in the Yorktown Central School District.

Respectfully,

Dr. Ron Hattar, Superintendent of Schools
Ms. Jackie Carbone, YCSD Board of Education President

• January 13, 2025 – Budget Presentation: Budget Overview & Tax Cap, State Aid, and Debt Service & Reserves

• January 27, 2025 – Budget Presentation: General Support, Facilities, Benefits, & Transportation

• February 10, 2025 – Budget Presentation: Athletics & Co-Curricular

• March 3, 2025 – Budget Presentation: Instruction, General Ed, Special Ed, & Technology

• March 24, 2025 – Presentation of Superintendent’s Budget

• April 21, 2025 – Budget Adoption

• April 21, 2025 – Deadline for Filing Petitions for Trustee Candidacy

• May 12, 2025 – Public Budget Hearing

• May 15, 2025 – Deadline for Voter Registration

• May 20, 2025 – Budget and Trustee Vote at French Hill School, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

The Annual Budget Vote and Election will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 9 pm. at French Hill School, 2051 Baldwin Road, Yorktown Heights.

If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 914-243-8199 or ysegal@yorktown.org

Qualifications for Voter Registration:

1. Must be a U.S. citizen

2. Must be 18 years of age or older

3. Must have resided at least 30 days in the District before the day of the vote

4. Not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction (unless parolee pardoned or restored rights of citizenship)

5. Not claim the right to vote elsewhere

New York State Voter Registration and Process.

Personal Registration for the School Budget Vote and Election:

If you are not registered with New York State, you may personally register to vote in the School Budget Vote and Election by contacting the Office of the District Clerk, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. for an appointment at 914-243-8199 or by email ysegal@yorktown.org. The last day to register to vote on May 20, 2025, is May 15, 2025. 

Voters must be able to produce at least one of the following proofs of residency: a driver’s license; a non-driver identification card; a utility bill; or a voter registration card.

APPLICATIONS FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS and EARLY MAIL BALLOTS may be obtained at the Office of the District Clerk at the Administration Office of the District, 2725 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, New York, on weekdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. (prevailing time). Such applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the Clerk of the District no more than 30 days and at least 7 days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be given directly to the voter or the voter’s authorized agent set forth in the application, at the Office of the District Clerk.

The original Absentee Ballot Application, Early Mail Ballot Application must be mailed or delivered to the Office of the District Clerk: YCSD/District Clerk, 2725 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598. The Clerk is not permitted to accept photocopies or electronic copies of the application. All absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Anyone who is a qualified voter of the community wishing to run for a seat on the Yorktown Central School District Board of Education may request a candidate petition packet. Seats are at large, meaning candidates do not run for specific seats. 

A school board candidate: 

• must be a US Citizen

• must be at least 18 years old

• must be able to read and write

• must be a resident of the district continuously for one year

• cannot be employed by the school district

• cannot live in the same household with a family member who's already a member of the school board

A board member's term is three years.  The new term begins July 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2028. 

Nominating petitions must be filed with the District Clerk of the Yorktown Central School District.  The deadline for filing is 5 p.m., April 21, 2025. Please call the District Clerk's office at 914-243-8199 or email ysegal@yorktown.org to obtain a petition. 

Anyone interested or thinking about running might want to attend this free workshop by Westchester/Putnam School Boards Association: Prospective Board Members Virtual Workshop by WPSBA

Please also visit the New York State School Board Association website for more information on becoming a member of the school board.

• 2025-26 Proposed Budget

• Business Office

• Budget Archives

• Budget Development Calendar

• Budget Presentations

  • Budget Overview & Tax Cap, State Aid, Debt Service & Reserves

  • General Support, Facilities, Benefits, & Transportation

  • Athletics & Co-Curricular

  • Instruction & Technology

  • Superintendent's Budget Presentation

• Budget Videos

• Yorktown Central School District Reserve Analysis