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Welcome to the new RCSD website!

Take some time to familiarize yourself with our new website! At the very bottom right corner of the site is the "Site Map" which will give you an idea of how things are laid out and where to find what you might be looking for.

33 days ago

Rensselaer City School District

We are a fRAMily!

Schools

Quick Links

  1. Board of Education
  2. Budget Information

Budget Information

2025-26 Budget Info

Budget Information from Last Year

Questions

  • We have developed a Tax Calculator so that each individual taxpayer can understand the increase. Not yet updated for 2025!

    Here are some examples:

    A table comparing estimated 2024 property taxes with 2023 taxes for different house values, including STAR and Enhanced STAR benefits.

  • No.  The tax cap calculation is 0.8%.

  • A Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the Rensselaer City School District will be held at the Rensselaer City School District campus on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 between the hours of 12 noon & 9 p.m., prevailing time, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by voting machine.

  • 2024 Ballot - TO BE UPDATED

  • Applications for absentee ballots will be obtainable between 9:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the Office of the Rensselaer County Board of Elections.

  • The Rensselaer County Board of Elections must receive completed applications at least seven (7) days before the annual vote. Absentee ballots must be received by the Rensselaer County Board of Elections not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

  • Call the Board of Elections at 518-270-2990.

  • Call the Board of Elections at 518-270-2990.

  • According to the NYS Fiscal Transparency Report, our per-student spending is below both the county and the state average for spending.

  • Our budget will need to rely more on fund balance again and potentially begin a cycle of fiscal crisis again.

  • The RCSD Corporation was established on June 1, 2006 for the purpose of assisting in the building of the the new school and to “promote the public good and lessen the burdens in the city and the county.” The corporation has its own board of directors, separate from the school board members. In carrying out is main purpose, the corporation owns the school building and grounds and leases both to the school district for a period of 30 years (beginning in 2006). Under the lease purchase agreement, Certificates of Participation (COPs) were issued in a trust and disbursing agreement, naming both the corporation and the school. The corporation, in association with the school, refinanced the COPs in 2016, at which time they were called. This allowed us to refinance the debt and experience a savings while maintaining the terms of the original agreement. These savings were immediately passed along to the taxpayers in the 2017 tax year.  The most recent summary of the fiscal information can be found on page 37 of the 2020 RCSD independent financial audit.

  • The canvassing of the ballots for Rensselaer’s annual election and budget vote is conducted pursuant to Election Law and not Education Law.

    With the exception of Rensselaer, every Small City School District in the State has its elections governed by Article 53 of the Education Law Section 2601-a

    Rensselaer’s elections are specifically included in Section 2502 of the Education Law.