The Brentwood School District budget failed Tuesday by merely four votes, according to unofficial results.

Nine-hundred-seventeen votes were cast in favor of the budget, with 921 opposed. Superintendent Michael Cohen said 16 votes must be validated before results become official. Cohen said election officials still need to verify that those votes came from Brentwood residents. Final figures should be available Wednesday, Cohen said.

The $276 million budget would have raised taxes 4.5 percent from last year.

New York State signed contracts for excellence with three Long Island districts, including Copiague, Westbury and Brentwood. The deal would guarantee Brentwood $16 million in new aid if academic performance were increased. The district would be required to spend $9 million of that aid on new initiatives, which Cohen said would include additional teachers and more after-school programs.

A second vote for failed budgets is scheduled for June 19.

Related Information: Long Island School Vote 2007 Results