LEWISTOWN - Mifflin County School District is one of 500 school districts in Pennsylvania struggling to balance educational programs with continued cuts to funding.
The school district approved a 2012-2013 preliminary $63 million budget on Jan. 19.
While at this point there are no program cuts, Chief Financial Officer Sean Daubert said ultimately that possibility "will all hinge on what fashion the state decides to fund public education. From the information we received last week, the funding looks bleak."
Last Tuesday, Gov. Tom Corbett proposed level funding for basic education in 2012-2013; but Mifflin County Superintendent James Estep said the governor's budget eliminates $400,000 in accountability block grants for the district.
Currently, the Mifflin County budget includes a 2.41 mill, or about an 8 percent, property tax increase.
According to the state Act 1 index, the district cannot raise taxes above 2.4 percent next year; but because its expenses in special education and retirement contributions are so high, Mifflin County qualifies for two exceptions that allow for a larger increase.
The state requires early approval of a preliminary budget in the event that the school district requests a tax increase in excess of the approved index.
Administrators continue to explore ways to cut costs.
Recently, the school board voted to solicit bids for custodial services, a move that upset the union representing custodial workers in the district.
Daubert said there are no salary/wage increases in the preliminary budget for faculty or staff.
One unavoidable increase this year is the employee retirement rate, which rises from 8.65 percent to 12.36 percent. After the state pays its portion, Daubert said the impact to the school district's budget is an increase of $459,886.
Daubert said they also anticipate an increase in food costs for the cafeteria, due to new health regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Indian Valley Elementary and Mifflin County Junior High buildings also need new roofs and heating system replacements.
To offset these costs, the district is considering the possible sale of two closed school buildings, Brown Elementary and Strodes Mills Middle, according to an agenda item for the Thursday, Feb. 16, meeting. The district already is in the process of selling two other buildings, Armagh and Buchanan Elementary. Both were closed last year.
Among recent school board discussions was the option to close Union Elementary, as well as the possibility of moving the Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center into one of the existing school buildings.
Daubert described the changes this school year as a "transformation" required to offset a multi-million dollar reduction in state funds.
"We now must work to overcome a second straight year with fewer dollars from the state level and a nearly half-million dollar increase in retirement costs," Daubert said.
The school board members face unpopular choices - cut expenses, raise taxes or find some combination of both, Daubert said.
The preliminary budget is available for public review in the Mifflin County School District Administration Building.
Mount Union Area School Board approved a $21.45 million preliminary budget in January. Included is a proposed 3.72 mill increase for Mifflin County residents, or 11.43 mills for Huntingdon County residents; both are equal to a 14.6 percent increase. The budget is available for public review at the school district office.
The Midd-West School Board also approved a preliminary budget of $32.98 million in January. In the budget is a proposed 14.9 mill, or 24 percent, property tax increase.
The school board also is considering possibility of closing Perry-West Perry Elementary in Mount Pleasant Mills and West Beaver Elementary in McClure. A public hearing about closing the schools was scheduled for Monday at the Midd-West High School in Middleburg.
Midd-West's budget is available online at www.mwsd.cc by clicking on the "School Board" tab or at the district office.
School districts are required to approve a final budget by June 30.
