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Keystone Central finance committee hears possible state caps and tiers for cyber charter tuition
Summary
Finance committee members reviewed projections showing cyber charter costs continuing to strain the district budget and discussed parts of the governor’s budget proposal that would cap tuition and introduce special-education tiers for cyber charters.
Keystone Central School District finance committee members reviewed new state budget proposals and district projections on May 27, warning that cyber charter tuition continues to squeeze the district’s budget.
Committee members considered two separate budget developments the district has heard from Harrisburg: a potential cap on cyber charter tuition and a proposal to add tiers to special-education tuition rates for cyber charters. Joni, a district staff member presenting the budget snapshot, said the governor’s proposal includes a cap and that the district expects a per-student tuition figure “maybe $10.12” for regular tuition, up from prior assumptions.
The presentation noted that special-education tuition currently has a large gap between regular and special-education rates; under the proposal the state would create tiers inside special-education tuition for cyber charters. Joni described one example discussed in the proposal: “tier 1 is could possibly be speech,” and she said that a tiered rate “might be, you know, $16,000 instead of $27,000.”
Committee members tied the cyber charter pressures to a recent approved 1.78 millage increase. The presenter said the millage boost yields about $490,000 but still leaves a projected shortfall (described in the meeting as roughly $3.5 million). The presentation included a chart showing how property-tax revenue is distributed among retirement fees and cyber-charter costs and noted the district’s equalized mill rate position “fourth from the bottom.”
No formal action was taken. Staff said the figures are preliminary and depend on final state budget language and enrollment changes; committee members asked that the district continue to monitor proposed state changes and update projections for the full board.
