[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6216470,"mediaKeyId","3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f","parentId",3651159,"title","Hatboro-Horsham proposes 3.46% real estate tax increase in final 2025–26 budget recommendation","audioSeconds",127,"startMs",3322000,"endMs",3449000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f&start=3322&end=3449","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f/thumbnail_3322000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6216470/Pennsylvania/Hatboro-Horsham-proposes-346-real-estate-tax-increase-in-final-202526-budget-recommendation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216470-89b43d3ad357874035118827e9c5a18c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196354&Signature=En00bajEJbm2FVHinrW1iPj9CMGSODtp0z0SlbcL-fNUdV1DurctER2xtNiO89YqQlsn4m-e21xuQn13EZry-BGRxr4blBfE8QRv31Sl8Pki8WZXjYb~7QWt7jRsNAYPDVf4d7yfEC4fI0VFcXAU-4csHVqyPeDaJZhmkUgFZTjvas-8iHya4pFzaPYMzTlWXRxS047scJGjvpUaXdXw9e5u1PniKklcIougkoRmOwe5hUXEyToGGbBuvIu5SU-ugxIJ8TlJNu7CSCLXC2v2pQ9K~CLdVnpli05FTQ90YhPJkrPRlKXChSF9rZFprCC2wSmdeJv3qBWCzlRc4BPgGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-03T12:39:36Z","article","Mister Stone presented the Hatboro-Horsham School District’s final budget recommendation for 2025–26 at the June 2 work session and said the administration will bring the final proposal, including a real estate tax increase recommendation, to the board for a vote on June 16.

“We are recommending a real estate tax increase of 3.46%,” Mister Stone said, and added that the recommendation is below the state Act 1 index and continues the district’s multi-year strategy of limiting increases to at-or-below the index.

Mister Stone reported projected revenues of about $132,900,000 versus expenditures of about $135,900,000, leaving a pre-increase deficit of roughly $3,000,000 that the recommended millage change would eliminate. He said the recommended millage would move from the current 33.8 mills to 34.97 mills and that the budget proposal includes using existing reserves: $2,000,000 from unassigned fund balance and $1,250,000 from the district fund noted in the presentation.

To illustrate taxpayer impact, Mister Stone provided example monthly increases under the proposed rate: a property at the 25th percentile assessed value (~$118,000) would see a monthly increase of about $7.61; a median-assessed home (~$148,000) about $10.64 per month; and a property at the 75th percentile (~$212,000) about $16.78 per month (calculations assume eligibility for the homestead/farmstead credit).

The presentation included several routine fiscal recommendations that will appear on the June 16 agenda: adoption of the real estate tax increase and deadlines, a homestead/farmstead credit resolution (the presentation listed the projected credit at about $494.25 per eligible homestead), continuation of the senior citizen property tax rebate program (district matches 50% of the state rebate for eligible seniors) and a proposed new district rebate to match Montgomery County’s volunteer tax credit for active emergency-service volunteers. Mister Stone said the district had identified eight volunteers for the program so far and noted the county program grew to 109 individuals receiving rebates totaling $33,272 in 2024–25.

Mister Stone also summarized other annual items: recommended categories of committed fund balance as required by GASB, continuation of purchasing cooperatives for competitively procured goods and services, and insurance renewals (he estimated coverages would increase by roughly $75,000 next year due to broader market losses, while cyber liability decreased slightly).

Board members asked about how the Act 1 limit is calculated, the sustainability of using fund balance, whether the recommended tax increase includes program cuts (Stone said it did not), and how the district ranks versus peers in Montgomery County (Stone said he will include comparative data in the June 16 package). The presentation and budget documents will be included on the June 16 legislative action agenda for board consideration and vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HHSD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING (jUNE 2, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Mister Stone presented the district’s final 2025–26 budget recommendation on June 2, proposing a 3.46% real estate tax increase and use of existing reserves; the administration will bring the full proposal to the board for a vote on June 16.","taxTitle","Hatboro-Horsham SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",55146,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6216465,"Public questions Hollowell Elementary roof award after lower bids were rejected; solicitor cites missing bid documents",181,2902000,3083000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f&start=2902&end=3083","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f/thumbnail_2902000.jpg","/articles/6216465/Pennsylvania/Public-questions-Hollowell-Elementary-roof-award-after-lower-bids-were-rejected-solicitor-cites-missing-bid-documents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216465-bb899f6e6eb6e1e4dd0f8fae484a7d44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196354&Signature=YvZVRMmSPcpWGH6NywGGDcAmwacaXgnaJ5cNHZ~UyKEaOxgdnzhCZ2Az4PDp9r8QRQ7nyXpNfQENqljy0AlXMyuN6lq03D0XlVS6cbaf23q2ii~mRiu-7KtinNUdHW1gMCmUHLpvsujFZqzaZXNhcOOtGzF2LG8pjIkmlJRbln3JqKSjgf02gBLXA5Gt31D5pQhx4AgJyrzpX7FLPDdIPEJ8fVG6CR4EiQSd6DdWWeC~rJ93Yg46Ovw6rt-r9euyEmKwrjdoef0CaKOlBbz0va~XeOFd3ECSzk4R89~82swOWmH0Np2TH911YA-vWTvtiNn6qOwFFkcpQiqkMRE8Aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two community speakers raised objections at the June 2 work session about the district’s recent award of the Hollowell Elementary School roof replacement contract, saying a lower, more-reputable contractor had been rejected and asking the board to revisit the award if the contract was not yet signed.

John McCarty told the board he was “concerned” that a second bid from Metal Alliance—he described it as a lower and more reputable offer—was rejected “due to misinformation on the application” and asked the board to “make the solicitor do their due diligence” and, if the contract has not been signed, to reject the award and hire a different contractor.

Natasha Scott Lawson also addressed the board and said she had reviewed the proposals and was concerned that the awarded bid was about $400,000 higher than the lowest bid and asked the solicitor to review whether required documents were missing.

The district solicitor responded at length, saying the public-bid process requires mandatory attachments and financial documentation. He said the lowest bidder “did not attach their financial paperwork and did not attach their workers comp factor paperwork and so that was to what we call non waivable defects or sometimes fatal errors. So we rejected the the lowest bid.” He added that Metal Alliance, the second-lowest bidder, also failed to attach required financial paperwork and had asked the district for a nondisclosure agreement—an ask the solicitor said local governments cannot accept when public funds are at stake. The solicitor cited Pennsylvania case law saying failure to attach mandatory paperwork is a non‑waivable defect that requires rejection of the bid package.

The solicitor told the board the third-lowest bidder had submitted a complete bid package that met mandatory requirements and that the board ordered the award to that bidder at the prior meeting. He said rebidding is not practical because the roof work must be completed this summer, and the district relied on the legal standard that requires treating all bidders the same when required documents are missing.

The public comments and the solicitor’s explanation were part of the community input segment; no new motion or rescission of the prior award was made during the June 2 work session.","Two community members asked the board on June 2 to reconsider the award of the Hollowell Elementary roof contract after lower bids were rejected; the district solicitor said required bid documents were missing and Pennsylvania case law required rejection.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6216474,"Hatboro-Horsham outlines comprehensive plan roadmap, sets progress checkpoints and public reporting timeline",891,1837000,2728000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f&start=1837&end=2728","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f/thumbnail_1837000.jpg","/articles/6216474/Pennsylvania/Hatboro-Horsham-outlines-comprehensive-plan-roadmap-sets-progress-checkpoints-and-public-reporting-timeline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216474-b1af479189e33fc4feea60a4c6d7c981/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196354&Signature=IpSrTzgSQjY7i~zPFZ7rriZ9~hOOviY1gLifppc9qleLfyzK8KyzniaF14TerEx0k9U-IUHPQPjRUlP4dfu82oApKgP1x1OE1Al5T6wB54t8nMLoVdEzP2aL1KBGH2nLtX4dwmXRSRQaU-UbAo-Db8cBt80LXmWASLQvrgcvhQaJaBng9nqoJWHr5jGVeW8yPt4p2rkSU~p-Izfr-33kbgUMTvUXFjBxv8hGIDWkQ3E7gE2sVw3V65~TXoYkanQIDoAMqRCYs5TkMzk1u7JdBWID9boNM9UEN-5oCVxJJXabYNINuLaDaUnLJNRnoEfkSxCU6O0DEPrAxaBo3J8INw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ted Domers and Dr. Bree D'Angelo, director of special projects and systems, presented a district roadmap for the Hatboro-Horsham School District comprehensive plan at the June 2 work session.

The presentation reviewed three focal goals—achievement and growth, welcoming schools and postsecondary success—summarized current performance using state and local measures and outlined progress checkpoints the district will use to track improvements. A full, public presentation of the plan and progress is scheduled for Nov. 24, 2025.

Dr. D'Angelo described indicators and key performance measures used by the district, including state assessments (PSSA and Keystone), benchmark assessments (district-linked tools), the Future Ready Index for postsecondary metrics and PVAAS projections for expected student growth. She said the district exceeded the state average in every tested area for 2023–24 but acknowledged progress toward expected growth remains aspirational.

“Our first goal is around achievement and growth. We want like everybody wants every student to succeed,” Dr. Domers said, citing a district example in which 66% of the class of 2031 scored proficient or advanced on the math PSSA where the state average was 52%.

On attendance and belonging, Dr. D'Angelo said the district’s welcoming-schools goal aims to reduce the number of chronically absent students by 10% per year; the district will use monthly attendance reports, discipline referrals, student well-being surveys and school-based advisory programs to monitor progress. Dr. Domers added that the district follows restorative practices, noting administrators received a full 14-hour training in a recent summer but not all teachers have completed that level of training.

For postsecondary success, the presenters noted the state’s rigorous-course-of-study metric (AP, CTE concentrator with NOCTE exam, and dual enrollment). The class of 2024 scored 49.2 on that measure. The district emphasized early interventions such as third-grade reading and seventh-grade math checkpoints (DIBELS and STAR assessments), and expanded course choices at the high school (new elective majors) to increase access to rigorous pathways.

The presenters said the district will publish a public-facing scorecard to show progress and planned a comprehensive presentation of indicators and measures on Nov. 24, 2025. Board members asked how restorative practices are implemented across buildings; presenters said the approach is used in all schools but that training intensity varies by role.","Assistant superintendent and director of special projects reviewed the district’s three comprehensive-plan goals—achievement and growth, welcoming schools, and postsecondary success—reported current performance measures and said the district will present a full update Nov. 24, 2025.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6216479,"Hatboro-Horsham presents K–12 health and physical education review, recommends K–5 alignment and a grade 2–5 pilot",895,762000,1657000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f&start=762&end=1657","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3651159-fb84ef63d2a6c734d73d0e467046294f/thumbnail_762000.jpg","/articles/6216479/Pennsylvania/Hatboro-Horsham-presents-K12-health-and-physical-education-review-recommends-K5-alignment-and-a-grade-25-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216479-f8547d26b93171a9233748885b89e345/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196354&Signature=hPvVNLq1RTZ3~rDj5flrHhEdkHZzEsGMwm06At8YbEzpkrvxFycA3cjDRcC4fK15wYOhwGZlbUk4b~JO5fRAMsftXWCgP57XEec1ce94mY3oVXcdWU0UkVBYlCbZs1jAF4bqjqa5b4dV~98C4ZcAqsSNt40lTN4sFaT1OccdGD-8RM0ubUK-lHveX6xOM8pLKo1CIZvsO-GEisDwc4wKiEHI7fdpDWsrttBv7FXwo0qUymCn~fLeJpkmYZuY4b2xL3y~Z5ock-UsL71xV9U0H-xjlORscFWPRdJlFTgEyNzfxl~GuSJdt3pr2RBLxEQtBEoU9iOqx8wK5CRFFdH2Xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Ryan Thomas, supervisor of curriculum for the Hatboro-Horsham School District, presented the results of a year-long review of the district’s K–12 health and physical education program at the board’s June 2 work session.

The review, led by a committee of district teachers and administrators, concluded there is variability across elementary schools in scope and sequence and recommended aligning a K–5 scope and sequence, piloting a health education resource at the 2–5 level this summer and expanding daily physical activity and professional learning for HPE staff.

The review team—Dr. Thomas and teachers Jessica Flack (Simmons Elementary, health and PE), Eric Shea (middle school health/PE), Dana Ciccone (high school) and Wendy Ampin (elementary representative)—said they met monthly since September to develop a philosophy statement, transfer goals and a scope-and-sequence that ties health instruction to physical education.

“We separated our philosophy statement into 3 categories. Really, we want to just make sure we're touching all parts of the child,” Jessica Flack said, adding the curriculum seeks to address students’ emotional, physical and social well-being.

Eric Shea described the review’s emphasis on health literacy and life-long activity: “With health literacy, we're looking for students to be able to make informed decisions about their own health, informed decisions that they can advocate for their own health, and also for community health.”

The committee reported it grounded recommendations in an internal literature review and external standards and resources, specifically the Educational Advisory Board (EAB), the Pennsylvania Department of Education standards for health and physical education (last revised in 2002) and Shape America’s national standards (updated 2024). The team identified five program priorities: a well-designed curriculum with common scope and sequence, sustained professional learning for teachers, supported supervision, explicit health instruction distinct from incidental learning in PE, and accessibility for all learners.

Key areas of need the presenters named included variability in the elementary K–5 scope and sequence, the absence of a common health education resource at grades 2–5, limited daily physical activity beyond scheduled PE and the need for more targeted, specialized professional learning for HPE staff. As immediate next steps the team recommended districtwide alignment of K–5 scope and sequence, vertical curriculum alignment through K–12, piloting a health education resource for grades 2–5 this summer, seeking opportunities to increase daily physical activity (brain breaks, extended recess, movement within classroom instruction) and expanding professional learning opportunities.

Dr. Thomas said the full report and materials will be posted to the district curriculum page and the team intends to continue the work into next year. Board members asked clarifying questions about which administrative routines reduce activity time; Dr. Thomas said scheduling constraints, not classroom teachers’ choices, are the primary limiter and the committee is exploring ways to embed activity into classroom time.

The presentation was a committee report and included recommendations for staff implementation; no formal board vote was taken on the recommendations at the June 2 work session.","District curriculum staff and teachers reported a yearlong review of K–12 health and physical education on June 2, 2025, recommended aligning K–5 scope and sequence across elementary schools, piloting a health education resource for grades 2–5 this summer, expanding professional learning and increasing daily physical activity opportunities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hatboro-Horsham proposes 3.46% real estate tax increase in final 2025–26 budget recommendation

Public questions Hollowell Elementary roof award after lower bids were rejected; solicitor cites missing bid documents

Hatboro-Horsham outlines comprehensive plan roadmap, sets progress checkpoints and public reporting timeline

Hatboro-Horsham presents K–12 health and physical education review, recommends K–5 alignment and a grade 2–5 pilot