Mifflin County School District outlines 2025-26 budget path amid state funding uncertainty

Mifflin County School District staff presented an initial review of the 2025-26 budget at a regular school board meeting, laying out statutory deadlines and revenue scenarios and warning that state and federal funding uncertainty will shape final decisions.

Business office staff member Miss Bucknap, who led the presentation, said the district must follow Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) timelines under Act 1 of 2006 and adopt a proposed budget by May 31, with the board’s target date for a proposed budget set for the May 22 meeting and a final budget required by the June 30 statutory deadline. "The statewide index this year was 4%." she noted, adding that Mifflin County qualifies for an adjusted index of 5.5%.

The presentation framed the board’s choices: balance revenues and expenditures while observing the state-mandated requirement for a balanced budget and limits on unreserved fund balance. Bucknap emphasized that the general fund is the district’s primary operating fund and that the district's accounting follows PDE’s chart of accounts.

Why it matters: The district gets more than half of operating revenue from the state, the presenter said, creating risk because state and federal appropriations are not finalized when the board must set its budget. Mifflin received a one-time adequacy supplement for the current year; Bucknap said the district will include $2.5 million of that funding in the 2025-26 figures but cautioned that such supplements are not guaranteed beyond 2025-26. "Definitely for 2526, the 2…