On May 20, residents of the Greater Johnstown School District will vote on a proposed $45,156,817 spending plan for the 2025-26 school year. Polls will be open for qualified voters from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the lobby of the Johnstown High School auditorium (JPAC).
The proposal represents a 3.84% spending increase ($1,667,842) and includes a 2.99% tax levy increase ($367,159), which is at the District’s maximum allowable levy under state law. This is the fifth consecutive year the tax levy increase has remained within the cap and requires a simple majority (more than 50%) to pass.
The spending plan maintains all current academic and extracurricular programs and preserves key student support services. The plan also includes funding for the addition of a secondary math or business teacher.
“The District is thinking forward in rebuilding a modernized business program to meet the curricular demands of NYSED’s new Portrait of a Graduate initiative, which will require students to focus on career planning, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and accounting,” said Superintendent Dr. Crankshaw.
“In addition, curricular offerings at JHS will shift to emphasize opportunities in engineering and computer science, and a reinvigorated library/media curriculum, led by two library media specialists, that will strengthen instruction in digital literacy, ethics, and critical thinking across all grade levels,” he added.
State aid remains the District’s largest source of revenue, primarily through Foundation Aid. “Johnstown’s Foundation Aid is expected to increase 2% ($344,813) in 2025-26,” Crankshaw said. “However, this increase falls short of meeting the growing needs of the District and its students.”
To help close the budget gap, the District plans to use $4,917,608 from its fund balance and reserves. “Strategic long-range planning has put the District in a position where it can utilize slightly more of its fund balance and reserves for next year in order to have a balanced budget, without placing undue strain on our long-term financial outlook,” Crankshaw said.
As in previous years, the spending plan includes a $100,000 capital outlay project. This year’s project will focus on improving the functionality and safety of instructional spaces on the ground floor of Knox Middle School. Planned improvements include room renovations, moisture control, HVAC and ventilation upgrades, and ADA accessibility enhancements. These smaller projects are typically completed within the school year, allowing the District to receive full building aid the following year.
Voters will also elect two members to the district’s seven-member Board of Education. The three-year terms of current board members Marjorie Kline and William Stock will expire June 30. Newly elected members will start their tenure July 1, 2025.