Brief History Greenburgh Union Free School District #13
It’s important to note Greenburgh Union Free School District #13 was dissolved by a specific state law that transferred its territory into the Irvington UFSD and dealt with employees, debt and records.
NYS Dissolution Law
There's a separate New York local government dissolution law, but it doesn't apply to school districts. New York’s government reorganization and citizen empowerment act lets residents petition and vote to dissolve villages towns etcetera by referendum. Shall we dissolve? It was a state level statute, although local input obviously mattered.
Before the population growth of the 1950’s, the enrollment in Greenburgh’s many school districts were individually small. Edgemont-Greenville (aka #5) and Hartsdale (aka #7) were too small to support High Schools. Instead, they planned with neighboring school districts to “tuition in” their high school age students. Greenburgh (aka #8) periodically retained its high school classes. The senior class of 1939 had 31 students. It was clear maintaining a high school was financially impractical and the district returned to the practice of sending High School students to White Plains.
Hartsdale Not Approved
From the April 1967 Hastings News: NYS Education Commissioner Allen writes that he will not approve Hartsdale plans to build a high school because of its small enrollment, fewer than 400 high school students and instead encourages mergers. Irvington school district rejected applications from Hartsdale families who seek to send their children to that high school. Hartsdale Board of Education offers to accept some low-income housing units in Hartsdale and is accused of “tokenism.”
Woodlands Designated
In May of 1967, the Hartsdale Board of Education designated Woodlands as the high school for the 1967-68 school years, but also gives parents the right to send 10 through 12th graders to any Westchester County high school with Hartsdale paying out of district tuition up to the amount that would have been paid to Woodlands. Hartsdale appeals to New York Board of Regents to reject SED Commissioner Allen’s decision and instead to substitute 5/6/7 merger for 7/8.
Warburg Estate: Can of Worms
May of 1967 was pivotal. The decision to give parents the right to send their children to any Westchester County High School was an excellent decision. But next up was the donation of the Warburg Estate property, which opened the can of worms that we currently have today. Aging buildings scattered across four campuses. Less than 1,600 students are enrolled in the school district. The current cost of running the Greenburgh Central School district is $85,000,000 a year. This district does not serve the Hartsdale population of children. We are at a crossroads that residents have avoided for years.
100 Graduates A Year
Currently 100 students graduate each year from Greenburgh Central School District. Most Hartsdale children do not graduate from this school district. Why? At an approximate cost of $85,0000 per student to run an underperforming school district that doesn’t serve Hartsdale residents should spark curiosity. But it doesn’t. Parents in Hartsdale realize K-1 in GCSD is fine to buy them time to shop around for a private school or to sell their homes to find a better school district. Many quietly find private schools, keep their mouths closed and continue to pay taxes for a failing district. Unfortunately, that increases yearly without qualification or validation.
The racial breakdown from the New York State Education Department on Greenburgh Central School District Enrollment is: 48% Hispanic, 38% Black, 10% white, 6% Asian and 1% or two or more races.
Two Freedom of Information Law Requests were filed with the Greenburgh School District revealing the following:
From 2010-2024 95 children transferred out of Lee F. Jackson Elementary (K-1 ).
From 2010-2025 192 children transferred out of 6th Grade from the Richard J. Bailey Elementary school.
A F.O.I.L. filed with Town of Greenburgh Clerks office revealed:
From 2020-2023- Greenburgh School District Late School Tax Penalties amounted to
School penalty Greenburgh Town/ County penalty
2020 $1,274,634.66 $445,809.03
2021 $1,411,120.06 $739,131.88
2022 $1,123,529.65 $395,869.07
2023 $ 1,422,129.50 $374,273.31
The financial burden of over $7,000,000. in penalties distributed.l Does this seem like taxpayers could afford to pay the school taxes that increase each year, as enrollment number continues to decline? Taxpayers would find their money well spent if vouchers were issued, aging schools buildings sold, and school choice for ALL parents. It’s the only way we’ll get A Better Greenburgh!
— Greenburgh Action Alliance
