The North Hills School District Board of Education on May 1 approved a proposed final general fund budget for the 2025–26 school year totaling $100,117,355 and with no change to the district’s tax rate. The board approved the proposed final budget by voice vote; the final budget vote is scheduled for June 5, 2025.

Board and district officials said the district avoided a tax increase this year largely because of infrequent, one-time items and nonrecurring revenues. “We were able to secure a manufacturing grant,” District staff member Muth said during the May 1 presentation. He described a series of timing and one-time events — including proceeds from the sale of 3,600 iPads, leftover bond proceeds from recent construction, federal COVID-related funds that are ending and lower-than-expected capital spending — that together reduced the budgetary pressure that otherwise would have required a tax increase.

The presentation showed the district’s revenues and expenditures each at $100,117,355, a 0.14% increase over the current year. Local sources, led by real estate taxes, remain the largest revenue component; the district projects roughly $56 million from real estate taxes. Muth said federal funding tied to Title programs and IDEA accounts for roughly $7.76 million and an additional federal bypass through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit adds about $800,000.

Muth highlighted a number that board members had discussed earlier in the meeting: under Pennsylvania’s Act 1 limits the district could have raised rates up to a 4.7% increase and generated about $2.8 million in additional revenue. “That matches pretty much what we would have needed to balance this budget had not those infrequent events happened,” Muth said.

Board members pressed for clarity on a range of cost drivers during the discussion. Board member Kozera asked whether the district was confident it was not “putting ourselves in too much of a hole” by forgoing a modest increase this year given upcoming contract negotiations; Muth and other board members said the district had “lucked out” this year and expects a more difficult budget environment next year, pointing to upcoming transportation and support-staff contract negotiations.

Board members also asked about charter and cyber charter tuition. The presentation listed cyber charter tuition at $2.1 million for the coming year.

The board’s approval of the proposed final budget starts the state-required 30-day public inspection period. The district said the proposed final budget will be available for public inspection at the District Administrative Center, 135 Sixth Avenue, Ross Township, PA, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., for 30 days prior to final approval. The board will vote on the final 2025–26 general fund budget at its public meeting on June 5, 2025.

The board also approved routine finance items on the May 1 agenda, including general fund bills, capital project fund bills, food service fund bills, budget transfers and April payroll. Those approvals were taken by voice vote during the same meeting.