vestal central school district

This school year, students will line up each morning and receive a pouch to lock away their phones, AirPods and smartwatches. At the end of each day, they will get the pouch unlocked before they leave school.

The Binghamton City School District's 2024-25 budget outlines more than $150 million in spending, an increase of 5.3 percent compared to last year. In Vestal, residents will vote on a $90 million budget with a taxy levy of 1.77 percent, which district officials say is one of the lowest in the region.

"We had kids that came to ninth grade who hadn't been in school for two years. So they didn't develop the social skills that they needed."

“You have to be at a point where you have plans in place where you can adjust accordingly, and still maintain an education for our students.”