East Penn SD board reviews 2025–26 budget priorities, projects $270,000 gap to meet 4% tax plan

East Penn School District administrators on April 14 presented a package of proposed spending priorities for the 2025–26 school year and a budget update that narrowed but did not eliminate a funding gap needed to hold the district’s planned tax increase at 4 percent.

"These are new expenditures that are being proposed for the upcoming school year," Dr. Campbell said as she introduced the priorities, which the administration grouped under a theme of preserving programs and supporting the district’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) framework.

The nut graf: Administrators proposed adding or preserving positions that have been largely supported by one-time federal ESSER dollars — including interventionists (reading and math), a secondary instructional coach, two ELD/ESL teachers (reassigned from existing elementary sections), academic support assistants, six full-time instructional assistants and new band uniforms — while the business office reported a revised beginning fund balance and revenue adjustments that reduced a previous multi-million dollar differential to about $270,000 that still must be shaved to meet a 4% tax increase target.

Most important specifics and why they matter

- Interventionists and caseloads: Dr. Thatcher and other instructional leaders told the board that certified interventionists now serve large numbers of students: the district’s reading interventionists serve about 927 elementary and 413 middle-level students, and math interventionists serve about 841 elementary and 436 middle-level students. Administrators said some of these positions have been funded by ESSER grants and that losing them would remove direct small-group supports for hundreds of students. "These positions are critical to the success of our students," Dr. Murphy said, describing interventionists as certified teachers who "provide targeted evidence based instruction" and monitor progress to inform instruction.

- English language development (ELD/ESL): Dr. Gutman described increases in multilingual learners and a rise in newcomer students with limited English, and explained that Pennsylvania rules require access to core content while also providing ELD services outside core classes. Administrators said two teacher positions could be reallocated by reducing one elementary section each at Willow Lane and Westcoastville elementaries and assigning those slots to secondary ELD instruction; that reallocation carries no new expenditure because it repurposes existing contract positions.

- Instructional coaching and support staff: The district proposed maintaining a secondary instructional coach position to strengthen teacher practice through coaching cycles and PLC leadership and requested six additional full-time instructional assistants to support students with IEPs and behavioral plans (the six IAs would be assigned across Willow Lane, Westcoastville and Emmaus High School). Dr. Michalik outlined the coaching cycle as a before/during/after process used with new and experienced teachers to model lessons, observe, and debrief.

- Marching band uniforms: Administrators proposed replacing Emmaus High School’s marching band uniforms, which they believe are at least 12 years old. The district reported an inventory of roughly 100 uniforms and 92 students signed up for next year’s marching band; administrators said the current inventory leaves little margin for growth or replacement and newer uniform materials are lighter and easier to launder.

Budget update and fund balance

Mr. Saul reviewed the district’s fund balance and recent modeling adjustments. He said the estimated beginning fund balance for 2024–25 was revised from about $25.7 million to about $24.6 million after a detailed review of current-year trends. He listed revenue adjustments (including updated real estate tax assessments and state reimbursement estimates aligned to the governor’s budget) and expenditure changes (wage and benefit recalibrations, contract line‑item adjustments and reclassifications).

After backing out the district’s standard budgetary reserve and planned network infrastructure uses of fund balance, Mr. Saul said the district’s current models show a $270,000 shortfall beyond the administration’s goal of limiting the tax rate increase to 4 percent. "We have to shave another $270,000 which absolutely will need to be done before the next board meeting," he said, and the board was told staff would return with a proposed-final budget intended to close that gap on April 28. Administrators also said roughly $50,000 of ESSER funds remain and might be used for a psychologist‑intern pilot if a partnership can be formed.

Board discussion and key questions

Board members generally praised the instructional and extracurricular achievements noted in the district update and then questioned administrators about the sustainability and data behind the priorities. Ms. Bowman asked for clarification on how ELD services are delivered; Dr. Gutman said newcomers keep access to core classes while ELD specialists provide separate targeted instruction and push-in supports so students can access content.

Board members pressed for evidence of impact from ESSER-funded positions. Dr. Murphy and colleagues said they could compile assessment and screening data to document the positions’ effects but also pointed to the operational counts of students served as an initial metric. "We can compile information regarding... our screeners or benchmark assessments," Dr. Murphy said when asked for impact data.

Several board members asked for more detail on the K–8 realignment financing; administrators said schematic designs and financial information would be presented at the April 28 meeting before the board is asked to adopt a proposed-final budget.

Votes at a glance

At the meeting the board approved routine and consent items by roll call (each recorded vote below was 6 ayes, 0 nos, unless noted): - Approval of minutes of the March 24 meeting — approved (roll call: Ms. Bowman, Mr. Fileghi, Ms. Ford, Mr. Jankowski, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Smith). - Approval of personnel items (retirements and other personnel motions on the agenda) — approved. Administrators noted three retirements (Mr. Deronor, Ms. Hicks, Ms. Shaninger) totaling 83 years of service. - Business operations items A–F taken together — approved. - Educational conferences — approved. - Textbook adoption for AP African American Studies — approved. - Emmaus High School graduates list for 2025 — approved. - Approval of the 2025–26 CLIU Special Education Facilities Plan (recommended by CLIU committee and CLIU board) — approved.

What was not decided tonight

The board did not adopt a final 2025–26 budget; administrators will present a proposed-final budget on April 28 and the board will be asked to adopt a proposed-final budget that same evening as the next procedural step ahead of the final adoption in June.

Context and next steps

Administrators emphasized that many proposed positions were initially funded with one-time federal ESSER dollars and that the district has been monitoring which roles produced measurable improvements. Mr. Saul said the district reduced an earlier gap of roughly $1.9 million to about $270,000 through a combination of revenue updates and expenditure adjustments, but additional reductions are required to meet the 4 percent tax increase target.

Administrators said they would return with: more detailed student‑level and assessment data supporting interventionist impact if the board requests it; a schematic/financial presentation for the K–8 realignment at the April 28 meeting; and a proposed‑final budget intended to close the remaining $270,000 gap.

Ending: Administrators and board members said they expect further budget discussion at the April 28 meeting and thanked departing staff approved for retirement; the board adjourned after taking the votes listed above.