William Penn SD outlines 5.9% tax proposal to balance 2025–26 budget; cuts and outsourcing possible

William Penn School District finance staff presented a preliminary plan at a budget advisory meeting to balance the 2025–26 budget that relies on a proposed 5.9% property‑tax increase and an assumed $2 million reduction in cyber‑charter tuition if state lawmakers enact cyber‑charter reform.

Dr. B. Coates, district finance presenter, said the district developed multiple scenarios and is “trying to address a $6,200,000 gap,” and that the balanced budget shown in the presentation depends on both the tax increase and the projected $2,000,000 reduction in cyber‑charter tuition. “If this does not happen,” he said, “this whole entire budget goes out the window.”

The nut graf: the district must adopt a balanced budget by law before the June 30 deadline. Because state aid and cyber‑charter reform remain uncertain, the finance team presented contingency scenarios showing how different combinations of tax rate and state action would change the deficit and the scale of program cuts needed.

Most important facts and numbers - The district presented four scenarios comparing new positions vs. no new positions and with/without a tax increase; variances ranged from roughly $6.0 million to $14.0 million in earlier slides. - The presentation targeted closing a $6,200,000 shortfall through a mix of revenue assumptions and spending reductions. - The “balanced” scenario shown assumes a 5.9% tax increase and a $2,000,000 reduction in cyber‑charter tuition, producing a budget figure presented as about $135,000,577.46 in revenues under that scenario. - If the district keeps rates flat (0% increase) and the cyber‑charter reform does not occur, the presentation showed a projected deficit of roughly $5,000,000 and identified likely reductions to transportation, specials (art/music), and athletics. -…