The Abington Board of School Directors on Wednesday approved the district’s final general fund budget for 2025–26 in the amount of $202,800,000 and set a real-estate millage rate at 38.55 mills, officials said.

The budget vote came after a final presentation from Chief Financial Officer Christopher Lionetti and the administration. “The proposed final budget has been available for public inspection in accordance with Act 1 of 2006,” Lionetti said during his summary, listing revenues, expenditures and changes from prior drafts.

The administration said local revenues will include $134.3 million in real-estate tax receipts (adjusted for latest assessed values and collection-rate assumptions) and total local revenue of about $144 million. State and federal revenue estimates were presented at about $49.8 million and $2.2 million in the May draft; Lionetti said the administration included a $275,000 state adjustment in the final. Federal ESSER funds have expired and accounted for a roughly $667,000 decline in federal resources, he said. The board approved allocating about $5.8 million of fund balance to support the 2025–26 spending plan.

Administrators described components of the budget: $70.8 million for comprehensive K–12 instruction (general and special education), $34 million for retirement contribution (the district noted PSERS contribution rates are now 34 percent and represent a major cost driver), $11.5 million in debt service tied to construction and energy projects, $9.6 million for transportation, and $4.8 million for technology and infrastructure. Lionetti and Superintendent Dr. Fetcher said central staff sought $1.2 million in expense reductions during budget reviews and noted staffing changes tied to attrition and enrollment declines.

Board members asked about timing and fiscal risk. Lionetti warned that state subsidy figures are estimates supplied by PDE and the state budget process may change allocations after June 30. The district also said budget finalization typically extends into August as invoices (for example from charter-school tuition providers) are reconciled.

Officials described tax-relief details included in the budget: the Taxpayer Relief Act homestead exclusion will reduce bills for eligible homesteads by $13,830 of assessed value, equal to a $533 tax reduction at the adopted millage. Montgomery County certified 14,917 eligible homesteads; the state’s homestead/farmstead allocation (gaming and other credits) totaled about $7.9 million in the budget and reduced the net tax increase for qualifying homeowners.

The board adopted the budget by roll-call vote; all board members present voted aye. Lionetti noted the district’s projected ending fund balance would be about $16.6 million before using the $5.8 million allocation; if the planned fund-balance use is spent, the beginning balance for 2026–27 would be lower. District leaders said the goal is to reduce deficit spending and not rely on fund balance to balance operations in future years.

Separately, administrators reviewed how a potential cap on cyber-charter tuition in Harrisburg could affect future expenditures: Lionetti estimated a cap of $8,000 per cyber student could reduce district charter tuition costs by roughly $400,000–$600,000 depending on the mix of students.

The budget adoption also included routine actions required by state law: authorization for the tax collector notices, the transfer-tax record, and the district’s classification of fund balance under GASB 54.