Great Valley finance committee reviews proposed 2025–26 budget, weighs 4% Act 1 millage increase and federal contingency

Great Valley School District finance committee members reviewed the district’s proposed 2025–26 operating budget, including a recommended Act 1 millage increase, a federal funding contingency built into salaries and benefits, and a prioritized list of new staffing positions.

The presentation, delivered by Ms. Dinsmore, laid out two primary levy scenarios: the full Act 1 index of 4% and a lower alternative of 3.5%. "For a 4% increase... total revenue is 133,891,685," Ms. Dinsmore said, presenting the district’s arithmetic for levied and total revenues and how those figures would change under each option.

Why it matters: the committee must decide whether to propose the full Act 1 increase, a smaller increase, or a hybrid approach before the board’s preliminary vote in April and final adoption before the state deadline on June 30. The choice affects whether the budget can include seven recommended new positions and whether the district holds a $388,227 contingency to cover potential losses in federal Title funding tied to salaries and benefits.

Budget details and fiscal trade-offs The district reported current millage at 24.37. Under the 4% Act 1 index the mill rate would rise to about 25.35; at 3.5% the mill rate would be about 25.22. The presentation included levied local revenue figures (levied revenue shown as $108,342,919) and a…