Randolph Central School officials will have to decide how to proceed after overwhelmingly defeated the district’s proposed 2026-27 school budget.

The $27,021,901 budget, which came with a 19.27% increase in spending and a 39.75% increase in the district’s property tax levy. The budget proposed spending an additional $1,015,112 on teaching-related costs, according to a budget statement posted on the district’s website, while instructional support costs were to increase by $92,901, pupil personnel services were to increase by $108,798 and debt service was to increase from $469,300 to $2,762,943.

The $27,021,901 budget, which came with a 19.27 increase in spending and a 39.75% increase in the district’s property tax levy. The budget proposed spending an additional $1,015,112 on teaching-related costs, according to a budget statement posted on the district’s website, while instructional support costs were to increase by $92,901, pupil personnel services were to increase by $108,798 and debt service was to increase from $469,300 t $2,762,943.

Kaine Kelly, Randolph superintendent, said in the school’s budget newsletter sent to district residents this spring that the district was hurt by the state Foundation Aid formula that relies too heavily on the value of tax-exempt Allegany State Park state forest and parkland property values that overstated the ability of remaining property taxpayers to raise tax revenue for the school district.

“Because the Foundation Aid formula interprets this as available local wealth, it reduces the amount of aid our district receives,” Kelly wrote. “In reality this paper wealth does not translate into the same level of revenue as privately owned, developed property. The result is a disconnect between how the state measures our financial capacity and the actual resources available to our community.”

Randolph received a 1% increase in Foundation Aid in the governor’s budget, though that amount could change when the state Legislature approves the state’s 2026-27 budget.

Voters also defeated a proposition to purchase and finance vehicles by a 268-227 vote. David Adams and Louise Boutwell were elected to the school board with 416 votes and 335 votes, respectively.

District officials can put the budget up for another vote with no changes or make changes to the budget and put the revised budget up for a public vote. If the budget is voted down a second time, the district will operate under an austerity budget for 2026-27.

The rest of the region’s school budgets were approved by voters on Tuesday.