Spring Cove School District Business Manager Details Proposed Budget

Spring Cove School District Business Manager Steven Foor did a formal budget presentation for the 2023-24 school year at the May 8 Board of Directors Committee of the Whole meeting.

This final proposed budget will be voted on for adoption next Monday, May 15, at the regular monthly board meeting. The deadline for public notice of intent to adopt the 2023-24 final budget will be June 9, with the final budget adopted on June 19.

Foor reemphasized that there will be no tax increase in 2023-24 and the millage will be maintained at 11.2506.

In a brief overview of expenses and revenue, Foor said salaries and benefits account for almost 62 percent of the total expenditures of $30,655,322. Total expenditures were $549,401 over the 2022-23 expenses. Cyber Charter School costs came in at $726,000 and represents .778 of a mill in the budget.

Foor stated the biggest challenges the school district faced in upcoming costs were a steady increase in mandated costs, Cyber Charter costs, retirement, healthcare, transportation costs, inflation, and limits of Act 1.

Although retirement accounted for 34 percent of the cost, the district contribution rate decreased 1.26 percent. The district contribution into healthcare for administrators, teachers, and full time support staff has jumped almost 33 percent from 2002-03 to 2023-24.

Approximately 50 percent of the school revenue comes from local taxes. The revenue for the district is proposed at $27,907,140 which represents an increase of 3.14 percent over the $27,057,867 from the 2022-23 school district budget.

The school district is looking to increase their competitive grants they are awarded, as grants still continue to come in for the 2022-23 school year. During the 2021-22 school year, the district brought in $1,528,064 in grant money. The district has assigned $592,267 to long-term debt to pay for increases in current debt service obligations over the next four years.

Total other financing sources for 2023-24 is $281,598. The governor’s proposed budget gives schools a record $567,365,000, the Spring Cove School District share is $399,000. It is not known, however, how much the district will actually get from the state until after state lawmakers approve a final budget, which will be after the school has to have a budget in place. Spring Cove is slated to get $8,324,706 in basic education subsidy and $1,282,170 in special education subsidy. There has also been an increase in assessed values of $1,722,150, a growth of .172 percent, which is an increase in tax revenue of $19,375.

Superintendent report

Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker announced in her report that Spring Cove School District received notice from the Pa. Dept. Education (PDE) last week that the district had been awarded $75,000 (the maximum possible award) for 2023-24 through the Dual Enrollment Program. Based on current enrollment projections, Baker hopes to fully fund the cost of tuition for all dual credit courses taken by Central High School students in 2023-24 through this grant. The funds must be expended by the end of the school year, any remaining funds, after tuition is paid, will be directed toward supplies (ie. textbooks) for dual credit courses. Central High School currently offers 21 unique dual credit courses through three different colleges and universities. The courses are broadly accepted by many post-secondary schools, including all universities within the PA State System of Higher Education, a number of community colleges, and many private schools.

Dr. Baker stated, “Dual credit courses improve academic achievement and increase students’ post-secondary success. Earning college credits in high school can save families thousands of tuition dollars and enable students to graduate from college in less than four years or to complete an additional major or minor to expand their career opportunities.”

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 15, at 7 p.m. in the administration office board room.