Brittnay Spry, Jamestown Public Schools assistant superintendent of finance and operations discusses the 2026-27 spending plan Tuesday at Persell Middle School. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education held its 2026-27 budget hearing Tuesday at Persell Middle School, and no district voters were in attendance to comment.

The board adopted its $120,898,274 budget in April.

According to Brittnay Spry, JPS assistant superintendent of finance and operations, there is no tax increase.

“The levy has remained the same for the past 10 to 15 years for the district, and this budget carries that forward into next year, so there is no tax increase to the community as a part of this budget,” Spry noted

Spry said the revenue components of the budget include state aid of $96,744,727, property tax of $16,441,567, other revenue streams, and unappropriated fund balance and reserves of $7,711,980. The state aid revenue components consist of foundation aid, building aid, transportation aid, BOCES aid, and instructional materials aid (IMA).

Spry said that foundation aid is projected to increase by $1.26 million, building aid will decrease by $1 million, transportation aid remains stable, BOCES aid will increase by $750,000, and IMA remains stable.

When the district, Spry said, submits aid forms for the current capital project, the district is projected to receive over $13 million in building aid. The revenue projections are based on the New York State budget.

For expenditures, Spry noted the budget contains capital, administrative, and program components. The capital portion consists of facilities, maintenance, safety and security, and debt service. The capital portion is $22,948,110. The administrative portion is $13,729,187 and includes operational departments, instructional coaches, building and district leadership, professional development and training, and central technology. Spry said the district is looking to hire an assistant principal, and a secretary at the Innovation Center at Rogers School.

The program portion is $84,220,977 and includes classroom teachers and paraprofessionals, pupil personnel services (counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses), extracurriculars and athletics, and the district’s transportation program.

The budget calls for a sixth-grade teacher, a social studies teacher, and a science teacher at Persell Middle School while at Washington Middle School the district plans on hiring a fifth-grade teacher, a social studies teacher, and a science teacher. The district also looks to hire middle school music teachers, Spry said. The district is also adding an art teacher at Jamestown High School as well as special education teachers at Lincoln Elementary, Jefferson Middle, and Persell Middle schools. The district also tentatively added one occupational therapist, one physical therapist, and one music/marching band teacher.

The music/marching band position already exists as it is a music teacher with a marching band stipend. According to Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker, there will not be an additional cost, but the position is going to be a full-time music teacher who will teach marching band, and do marching band work throughout the school day.

In case the spending plan is voted down, a contingency budget of $120,190, 634 will be followed which includes reductions in the capital, administrative, and program Components. The capital portion would drop down to $22,798, 110 with a reduction in buildings and grounds equipment. The administrative component would drop to $13,264,547 with the elimination of an assistant principal and secretary at the Innovation Center, and a reduction of BOCES services. The program portion would drop to $84,130,977 with the elimination of music and athletic equipment.

“It is a budget that is good for students. It’s good for families, it’s good for staff. I have seen the results of when a budget is defeated and the contingencies and all the difficulties for the community and for the extracurriculars,” said Board President Paul Abbott.

Voters can go to the polls May 19, from 12 to 9 p.m., at Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Middle School, or Jefferson Middle School.