South Fayette board previews $77.8M draft budget, approves personnel and select measures after executive session

South Fayette Township School District officials reviewed a draft 2025–26 general fund budget showing roughly $77.75 million in revenues and $83.55 million in expenses — a projected $5.8 million shortfall — and approved multiple personnel and routine items during their April 22 board meeting at the high school.

The budget presentation was led by Ryan Neely, director of finance, who outlined revenue and expense assumptions and the district’s next steps. Neely said the board will vote on a proposed final budget at a special meeting on May 13 and on a final budget June 17. He added, “this puts us at a fund balance of $25,470,000 at the end of next school year.”

Why it matters: the draft anticipates growing personnel costs and benefits that outpace estimated revenue growth. Neely told the board he built the draft assuming the district raises millage up to the Act 1 index, a placeholder that preserves options ahead of the May and June votes. The presentation also previewed a May bond sale process and updated drawdown schedules tied to ongoing capital projects.

Major budget details and context

- Revenues and gap: The draft general fund numbers Neely presented show $77.75 million in revenue versus $83.55 million in expenses for 2025–26, yielding a $5.8 million deficit in the draft. Neely said that, after accounting for current assignments and restrictions, the district would end 2025–26 with an estimated $25.47 million in total fund balance and roughly $2.94 million in unassigned funds (about 3.5% of the budget).

- Personnel and benefits: Salaries in the draft are projected to increase about 4.22% for 2025–26, a figure Neely attributed to additional staff and a new support-union contract. Neely also noted healthcare cost increases tied to recent plan changes and quoted a 5.7% plan increase from the health plan vendor.

- Enrollment and revenue drivers: Neely reported continued enrollment growth concentrated in lower grades and said the district already has a large incoming kindergarten cohort. He built local revenue projections assuming an Act 1 index millage increase and modest assessment growth; the median assessed value used in sample tax-impact charts was $165,400. Neely said the district is monitoring appeals, common level ratio effects and new construction when finalizing revenue estimates.

- Grants and state funding: The presentation cited the Ready to Learn grant (about $476,000 previously accepted for 2025–26), modest special education funding increases and caution about Basic Education subsidy timing because of state budget negotiations.

Other departmental highlights

- Student support services: Dr. Oliver presented changes to student-support accounts and staffing, including proposed curriculum and training purchases (TeachTown and SimCoach) and a net $5,659.40 increase in the student services budget. Oliver outlined requests for two additional special-education teachers (elementary and intermediate/middle) and a possible third hire pending need.

- Safety and security: Mr. Geiss and Dr. Maurer presented the safety budget, describing a roughly $134,017 saving tied to shifting from a school resource officer (SRO) line item to a school police officer (SPO) personnel allocation and a $50,500 technology increase largely for an emergency management platform (Syntegix) and Avigilon monitoring software.

Board action and votes (summary)

Votes at a glance (motions, movers/seconds as stated at the meeting; vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript): - Consent agenda (items 1–4): motion moved by Jen; second by Projecta; outcome: approved. - Personnel (items 1–20): motion moved by Lenz; outcome: approved. - Education (items 1–3): motion moved by Tom; outcome: approved. - Athletics travel (JV/varsity baseball to Morgantown, May 8): motion moved by Bill; outcome: approved. - Construction item 1 (ECS Mid Atlantic LLC as special inspector/materials tester for IS renovation): motion to table moved by Lehi; outcome: tabled. - Construction item 2 (developer’s agreement for IS additions/alterations with South Fayette Township): motion to table earlier in the meeting; after executive session the board approved the developer’s agreement on a motion by Tom, second by Bill; outcome: approved (one board member stated they did not approve the document; the transcript does not identify that member by name). - Miscellaneous: revised Board Policy 256 (educational environment/anti-intimidation): motion moved by Tom, seconded by Len; outcome: approved.

What’s next

Neely said the board will consider the proposed final budget at a special meeting on May 13; that meeting will include presentations from PFM (financial advisor) and legal counsel on bond-authorization parameters tied to the district’s capital plan. The board’s final budget vote is scheduled for June 17. Neely told the board he will update long-term forecasts and revenue assumptions as new information (state budget, county assessment updates, appeals and bond pricing) becomes available.

Board members asked staff for more detailed actuals vs. budget comparisons for the current year and for continued coordination with outgoing district finance staff and advisors as the May 13 meeting approaches.