The Board of Education adopted the budget on Tuesday, April 18. The proposed spending plan for 2023-24 reflects a tax levy increase of 1.99%, which is below the allowable tax levy cap of 2.432%. This is within the tax cap for the 12th consecutive year.
Unlike New York City and other areas of the country, New York's locally elected Boards of Education are required to present a spending plan each year to the voters of their community. This year, the annual budget vote and trustee election will be held on Tuesday, May 16, from 7 a.m.- 9 p.m. at West Hempstead Secondary School in the North Gymnasium. To participate, you must be a registered voter. If you have questions about your current registration status or need further information about voting, call the District Clerk, Theresa Bryant, at 516-390-3107 during business hours. The last day to register to vote is Thursday, May 11.
Did you know that 104/112 districts in Suffolk County and 62/112 (6 districts proposed the same levy as us) districts in Nassau County are proposing a higher levy than ours? So that's approximately 3/4 of the districts on Long Island with a higher proposed levy than WH.
We are one community. We are one district. We serve each student in their best interest.
You will hear that there are 1,500 + students. You may also hear there are 1900 + students. Both are correct. One relates to State aid, and one is the number of district students we are responsible for.
Did you know that 18% of the budget leaves the district campus to support school-aged students in the WH community?
Did you know we run over 120 bus routes to over 100 schools?
Did you know transportation has doubled in 9 years and accounts for 11% of the budget?
If we include all the school-aged children in our district, did you know that the total number of students would almost double?
You will hear that our elementary test scores are not where they should be. I agree. No excuses; the work needs to continue. And we are doing that work.
Did you know that "numbers" in ELA and Math have stabilized (as per a comparison of the NWEA assessment Winter of 18-19 to this past Winter)?
Did you know our graduation rate has improved from 83% to 96% in just over a decade?
Did you know that 60% of our students graduated with an advanced regents diploma last year?
I leave you with these thoughts:
Did you know that we had one student who left a shelter in El Salvador in first grade and is now proficient in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in fourth grade?
Did you know that we have one student who is one of 74 to qualify for the NYS Mathletes Competition?
Did you know that we have one senior who has multiple acceptances to colleges and universities and will be the first person in her family to attend higher ed?
Did you know that we have one set of twins attending Yale on what basically amounts to a full scholarship?
We are one. And it takes all of us to become one.
