Westport Education

Why Westport Central School District won its school budget vote

In New York State, only about a quarter of the 675 school districts experienced a net gain in student population in the current school year. Of those, less than 1/2 a percetange point, which is to say three school, experienced a net gain of more than 7% in enrollment. One of those is the Westport Central School district.

The top 5 districts in New York State in terms of demographic gains in the current school year are:

1. Fishers Island UFSD (9.68% enrollment increase)
2. Indian River CSD (9.66% enrollment increase)
3. Westport Central School District (9.6% increase)
4. Sag Harbor UFSD (6.48% increase)
5. Moriah CSD (5.73% increase)

Meanwhile, changes in the amount of proposed school levy ranged from a 25.29% increase to an 11.21% decrease. 

Despite being the district with the third highest percentage increase in enrollment out of 675 school districts, Westport -- with a 2.47% change in budget and a 4.45% change in the school levy -- ranked 121st out of 675 districts for changes in the school levy. Westport is the 32nd smallest district in New York State and runs a very tight ship.

(Data from New York State's Department of Education Property Tax Report Card.)

Westport Central School Budget passes with 56% of the vote

Here are the election results (via Nicky Suduuth):

• Budget: 253 yes; 199 no 
• Van purchase: 313 yes; 136 no 
• Board seat: Alice LaRock 338 votes 
• In-person voters: 422; absentee voters: 30 
• Total voters: 452

 The Press Republican reports that in Ticonderoga, Schroon Lake, and St. Regis, school budgets were voted down. Judging from the New York State Fiscal Accountability Report Cards, none of these were particularly free-spending districts. St. Regis, with a student population under 400, has an unusually high rate of Special Education classification (16.5%) so their Board of Education probably had very little latitude in how and where to cut their budget in light of cuts from Albany.

Districts in which the school budgets were approved include: 

• AUSABLE VALLEY
• BEEKMANTOWN
• BRUSHTON-MOIRA
• CHATEAUGAY
• CHAZY
• CROWN POINT
• ELIZABETHTOWN-LEWIS
• KEENE
• LAKE PLACID
• MALONE
• MINERVA
• MORIAH
• NEWCOMB
• NORTHEASTERN CLINTON
• NORTHERN ADIRONDACK
• PERU
• PLATTSBURGH
• SALMON RIVER
• SARANAC
• SARANAC LAKE
• TUPPER LAKE
• WESTPORT
• WILLSBORO