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Shippensburg Area School District board votes to advertise $75.4 million proposed budget, approves 5.3% tax index move
Summary
The Shippensburg Area School District board voted 5–3 to advertise a proposed final 2025–26 general fund budget of $75,444,816 and to use the district's adjusted Act 1 index of 5.3% for tax-setting purposes; the proposal may be adjusted before final adoption June 9.
The Shippensburg Area School District Board of Directors voted 5–3 to advertise a proposed final 2025–26 general fund budget that shows $75,444,816 in expenditures and projected revenues of $72,574,958, requiring use of roughly $1.87 million in fund balance and a move to the district's adjusted Act 1 index of 5.3%.
The vote to move the proposed budget forward was made by Dr. Nathan Goetz and seconded by Dr. Michael Lyman; the board recorded five yes votes and three no votes on a roll call. The board's action was to advertise the proposed budget for public inspection; board members and staff said numbers can be adjusted between now and final adoption on June 9.
Administration said the budget assumes use of $1,869,858 from general fund balance, including $300,000 from committed fund balance for a seventh-grade teaching position, $1,000,000 from committed fund balance for retirement liabilities, $500,000 assigned for future capital projects and debt repayment, and roughly $1.93 million from unassigned fund balance. The proposal also assumes the district will use the full 5.3% adjusted Act 1 index for its tax rate.
Board members asked how the index choice affects the deficit and whether the listed staffing positions are included. Administration confirmed the projection includes the planned additions cited earlier in the meeting: SLP teachers, transfer secretary to full time, an elementary teacher, a special education coach and a music teacher. Several board members emphasized the numbers can change before the final vote and that the district will hold finance committee meetings in May to review details.
Board members discussed timing and state funding uncertainty; staff said the state budget process and related aid figures may not be final before the district must advertise its proposed budget, and that changes can still be made prior to final adoption. The board set the public-inspection period required by law and plans to take final action on the 2025–26 general fund budget at the June 9 planning-and-action meeting.
The motion to advertise the proposed final budget passed 5 yes, 3 no. The board did not adopt a final budget at this meeting; the proposed figures and the board's choice to use the Act 1 index are subject to revision before the June 9 vote.
