EMMAUS, Pa. — It's budget season already for the East Penn School Board — and the board is anticipating some increases.
Expenses for the district — charter school tuition, salaries and benefits — are projected to significantly increase in the next five school years.
So far, budget presentations have laid out an anticipated increase of just over $7.9 million year-over-year, driven by factors such as the ending of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money from the American Rescue Plan Act, and increase in cost of wages, curriculum materials, transportation and special education.
Presentations noted some expenditures related to mitigating coronavirus pandemic-related learning loss are not yet included.
It has been emphasized that final proposed tax increases are not yet set in stone, and are dependent on factors such as the court-prompted $1.1 billion in new education funding proposed in the recently unveiled Pennsylvania state budget proposal.
Largest tax increase in a decade
The budget in its current form presents a 5.95% increase of the millage rate, with a 0.79% increase in assessed real estate value, as the main driver of a potential local revenue increase of $9.3 million.
That would be the largest increase in real estate tax in more than a decade according to district presentations, but it remains preliminary.
Capital project millage phase-in plans for the massive facilities expansion and grade realignment plan being studied have been incorporated into the draft budget.
The expense presentation in February stated that staffing would be phased in to support grade realignment models.
Current estimations by the district show it has seen an increase in revenue and decrease in expenses this year from its prior annual budget.
Charter and cyber school tuition payments are anticipated to reach $14,980 per regular student, while the special education tuition rate is projected at $34,915.
Charter enrollment in the district is estimated at 472, the same as this year's enrollment. Proposed state-directed changes to cyber school funding in the proposed Pennsylvania budget could decrease the amount spent by the district.
The board's next two meetings on March 25 and April 8 will contain the administration's spending priorities for the upcoming school year, which last school year included the permanent hiring of reading comprehension interventionists.
Final adoption of the budget for the following school year is anticipated for June 10.
TSI, transportation items approved
Also Monday, the board approved the TSI plan for Emmaus High School, prompted by the scores of IEP (individualized education program) students.
The plan seeks to buck trends in students at the school falling behind in algebra results.
A transportation service contract was awarded for STA of Pennsylvania Inc. for the upcoming five years, with a future contract to be produced and presented to the satisfaction of the solicitor.
The district also praised and presented a certificate to state champion long jumper Kyle Moore, who set a new school and Lehigh Valley record last spring — beating what was set by NFL player Jahan Dotson when he was at Nazareth Area High School.
Coach Melece White honored Moore's recent indoor track and field season achievements at the podium, which included school record runs in the 55-meter dash, 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump and triple jump during the season.
To emphasize the length of Moore's winning jump from last season — 24 feet, 10.25 inches — duct tape X marks were placed on the floor of the board room at that length, prompting impressed murmurs as attendees wondered how he could have jumped that far.
Moore, a senior, plans to run for Penn State.
