Colonial School District approves proposed 2025–26 budget with tax-rate increase, ratifies labor contract and multiple vendor agreements
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Summary
On April 10, 2025, the Colonial School District Board approved a proposed final 2025–26 budget that includes a 0.817‑mill real estate tax increase, ratified a successor agreement with support staff, and approved several legal and service contracts; the board said the final budget will be considered at its June 9 meeting.
On April 10, 2025, the Colonial School District Board of School Directors voted to approve a proposed final 2025–26 budget totaling $162,997,782 and approved several related contracts and policy updates.
The board’s finance committee presented the proposed final budget, which the presentation said totals $162,997,782 — an increase of $4,823,086 (about 3.5%) compared with the 2024–25 spending plan. The proposal includes a real estate tax of 26.495 mills, an increase of 0.817 mills (described in the presentation as a 3.18% increase over the prior year), and the planned use of $1,000,000 from the district’s fund balance. The administration said the tax change equates to $81.66 per year for each $100,000 of taxable assessed value “as presented.” The board stated the final budget will be considered at the June 9, 2025, board meeting.
The board also approved a successor collective bargaining agreement between the Colonial Board of School Directors and Colonial Educational Support Professionals covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029. Mary Tiese, president of Colonial Educational Support Professionals, addressed the board during public comment to thank members for the negotiation process.
In other formal actions, the board: - Appointed Fox Rothschild LLP as the district solicitor for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with an annual retainer of $22,500 and a base hourly rate of $210, as described in the engagement summary presented to the board. - Approved renewal of legal-services consulting with Sweet Stevens, Katz, and Williams for the 2025–26 school year in the amount of $8,400. - Approved a professional-services agreement with the Delaware County Intermediate Unit to provide technology testing and remediation services. - Approved an agreement addendum with General Healthcare LLC for substitute nursing and substitute instructional aide services effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. - Approved a multi-year agreement for substitute teacher services covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. - Approved payment and budget allocation for the Colonial Middle School sixth-grade musical (production dates announced as May 2 and May 3). - Approved board policy updates on first reading for Policy 828 (fraud) and Policy 823 (naloxone) and approved revisions on second reading for Policy 221 (dress and grooming) and Policy 235.1 (surveys). - Appointed Mark Marcico as the district’s representative to the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Board of Directors for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.
Committee reports presented to the board included a facilities update noting the return to the Colonial Elementary boardroom, a curriculum update describing the district’s artificial intelligence initiatives and a planned pilot of “Magic School,” and a safety-and-wellness update announcing the district’s planned replacement of Naviance with a platform called Score, which the presentation said will save “over $7,000 a year” and add features such as a mobile app.
Board members made routine approvals of minutes, financial reports, and personnel items during the meeting. The board’s public agenda materials posted for the meeting included school activity accounts, athletic accounts, curriculum and building reports, and technology reports.
The board did not provide roll-call vote tallies in the meeting transcript for the motions; each motion recorded in the meeting was moved, seconded and concluded with an “All in favor?” vote, and the clerk announced passage or “Thank you” after the vote. The board listed the proposed final budget for public review in the district business office and on the district website.
Next steps noted by the board include the public review period for the proposed final budget and formal consideration of the final budget at the board’s June 9, 2025 meeting. The board also highlighted upcoming community events, including a Distinguished Graduates induction on May 8, 2025.
