Credit: The Reporter.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2026-2027 budget includes less than 1% increases in Pennridge’s basic education and special education funding
The Pennridge School Board recently kicked off its 2026-2027 budget season as the district continues to grapple with rising expenses and sluggish revenue growth.
The financial challenges resulted last year in the district’s first tax increase in eight years, which board members attributed to flat local tax revenue and insufficient state funding amid soaring costs, namely pensions, charter school tuition and special education.
At the board’s most recent finance committee meeting, Chief Operating Officer Sean Daubert gave a presentation on the district’s 2024-2025 fiscal year and current budget outlook that showed a continuation of previous budgetary trends. Daubert informed the committee that the district exceeded its budgeted 2024-2025 expenditures by $2.76 million, largely due to lower-than-expected local tax revenue. The difference will be covered by the district’s unassigned fund balance.
Alongside disappointing local tax revenue, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2026-2027 budget includes less than 1% increases in Pennridge’s basic education and special education funding and a 1.2% increase overall, on par with previous years, Daubert noted.
Daubert’s presentation also highlighted some of the district’s ongoing cost drivers. Pennridge is estimated to spend $2.8 million on charter school tuition for 142 students in the 2025-2026 school year, accounting for over $200,000 in savings from recent changes to the charter school tuition funding formula.
In addition, special education costs continue to top $30 million, up from $21 million in the 2017-2018 school year. Daubert and board members noted that the number of special education students has consistently increased even while total enrollment has decreased.
Daubert cited another significant cost driver as support staff expenses, explaining that the district has been forced to outsource the positions after being unable to fill them locally. He expressed a desire to reorganize staff members to ensure the positions are filled in the future.
The administration will present its 2026-2027 budget projections in March. Adoption of the final budget is scheduled for June.
Roof replacement bid
The facilities committee approved a $2.6 million bid for the replacement of Central Middle School’s roof due to active roof leaks. The roof was originally installed in 1997 and recoated in 2015. The project will be financed by the district’s capital fund.
Construction is planned for the summer, with completion expected by October.
The next Pennridge School Board meeting is on February 23 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit pennridge.org
This article appears courtesy of a content share agreement between North Penn Now and The Reporter. To read more stories like this, visit https://www.thereporteronline.com
