Blog
PASA/PASBO release the school budget survey report
As school districts across the state finalize their 2017-18 budgets, there will be more personnel cuts, property tax increases and use of reserves in order to offset continuing growth of mandated expenditures consistent with findings from the annual School District Budget Survey Report, a joint initiative of the PA Association of School Administrators (PASA) and the PA Association of School Business Officials (PASBO).
This latest budget survey report is the most current and comprehensive financial picture for Pennsylvania's public schools. Survey findings reveal:• 43% of respondents indicate that the fiscal conditions of their school district will worsen in 2017-18.
• Almost 15% of the districts in the survey plan to furlough employees, and more than half anticipate leaving positions vacant that are created by retirements and job movements.
• One in five respondents anticipate reducing instructional programs next year which include increasing class size, reducing electives, delaying textbook purchases and decreasing additional instructional time for students.
• Non-instructional cuts will affect more than one is five districts will include delaying maintenance reducing field trips and other extra-curricular activities.
• More than 20% of respondents indicated their district had closed school buildings since 2010-11.Consistent with previous survey findings, seven in ten districts participating in the survey said their budgets contain a property tax increase with 12% expecting an increase above the Act 1 Index.
Mandated pension, health care, special education and charter school costs continue to escalate at rates that continue to exceed the total additional resources provided through increased state funding and local tax increases.
To read the full press release, click: http://file2.pasbo.org/2017BudgetReport/2017PressRelease.pdf
To read the full Budget Report, click: http//file2.pasbo.org/2017BudgetReport/BudgetReport2017.pdf