Pottsgrove board sees $4 million shortfall in first 2025–26 budget draft; approves four buses and EdOptions renewal

Pottsgrove School District officials on March 25 presented a first-draft budget for the 2025–26 school year that projects roughly $78.2 million in revenue against about $83.4 million in expenditures, leaving an approximate $4 million shortfall that, as presented, would require a near 9.1% tax increase to balance.

The presentation, given by Ron Linke, a staff member presenting the district budget, set out high-level revenues and expenditures and the timeline for budget decisions. "If we wanted to balance this budget today, that would require a 9.9% or 9 point almost 9.1% tax increase," Linke said during the presentation. He noted the district has adopted an opt-out resolution and cannot legally exceed the state Act 1 index of 5.3 percent when setting a tax increase.

The gap is driven by several factors administrators highlighted: an estimated $640,000 increase in charter school tuition costs based on current enrollments and rising per‑student tuition rates; at least $680,000 higher special-education outplacement and services costs; new staffing requests (including four special-education teaching positions and two instructional assistants, estimated at roughly…