Upper Dublin board adopts $128 million 2025–26 budget, approves contracts and personnel

The Board of School Directors of Upper Dublin School District on Monday adopted the district’s 2025–26 final budget, approved a package of contracts and personnel actions, and approved several routine education agreements. The board approved the final budget in a roll-call vote after discussing drivers of the increase, several capital items and other budget pressures.

The board approved a $128,000,000 budget for 2025–26 that the administration said represents a roughly 4% tax increase. Board members and administrators told the meeting the increase reflected ongoing rise in staff salaries and benefits, constrained increases in state basic education and special-education funding, assessment appeals that reduced local revenue this year, and planned facilities work including longer-range projects.

Superintendent Dr. Smith said some single-site project designs presented so far are “entirely conceptual in nature,” and that schematic design and site work remain to be done before any final construction decisions are made. The board also approved a motion to engage project-management services and to proceed toward schematic design on a school facilities option under consideration.

Votes at a glance - Final 2025–26 budget and funding resolutions — approved by roll-call (ayes recorded): Jenna Evans (yes), [Miss] Iannetti (yes), Mister Held (yes), Miss Redding (yes), Miss Sharpier (yes), Doctor Thomas (yes), Mister Sirova (yes), Mister Warshauer (yes), Mister Wallach (yes). The motion carried. - Agreement with ICS for project-management services (finance item) — approved (voice vote). - Bus-patrol services agreement and contingent intergovernmental agreement with Upper Dublin Township — approved (voice vote); the intergovernmental agreement was noted as a contingency for implementing bus-patrol operations. - Commitment of fund balance for phased furniture replacement — approved (voice vote); administration said no purchases occur at this step and future procurement will return to the board. - Motion to approve the remaining finance items on the agenda (section 6, excluding items separately moved) — approved (voice vote). - Personnel approvals: multiple personnel items approved, including appointment of Michael Rideout as principal of Jarrettown Elementary School (start date TBD) and appointment of Colleen Gensler as director of technology and innovation. Two board members announced abstentions on a compensation-plan vote (see notes). - Education and pupil-services agreements (MOU with Montgomery County Intermediate Unit for Title III services; partnership with University of Delaware on secondary math work; three pupil-services educational agreements) — approved (voice votes). - Policy committee action (first reading/repeal related to Policy 95.1, Educational Advisory Committee) — motion carried (first-reading action). - Approval of 338 graduates (other business item) — approved (voice vote).

What the board and administration said Dr. Smith, the district superintendent, told the board the Jarrettown conceptual images and site options presented to date are not final: “The designs and things that you’ve seen for Jarrettown to this point are entirely conceptual in nature,” she said, adding schematic design and community input will inform siting and tree/landscape impacts.

Board members noted the budget combines multiple drivers. One board member said long-term costs such as salaries, health care and contracted services are rising faster than state revenue increases, while local assessment appeals and planning for facilities and transportation work also affected the recommended tax increase.

Financial and program details cited at the meeting - Proposed 2025–26 budget: $128,000,000 (administration statement). - District enrollment cited at the meeting: 4,027 students; the district calculated roughly $32,000 per pupil based on the proposed budget. - Capital reserve and fund notes mentioned at the meeting: administration figures referenced a capital reserve on the order of tens of millions (figures discussed at the meeting included roughly $31,000,000 cited by a speaker) and a planned transfer related to assessment-appeal obligations (approximately $5,000,000 was referenced in public comment).

Process and next steps The administration and finance committee said several items approved Monday are preliminary or schematic and that further design, community review and formal procurement steps will return to the board for approvals. The board scheduled routine committee and legislative meetings to resume in August and said staff will continue public communication about long-range facilities planning.

Ending Board members thanked retirees and recognized student and staff achievements earlier in the meeting before taking the decisions on budget, contracts and personnel.