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Board hears budget update; approves $142,200 literacy professional development and photography contract
Summary
The district’s finance director outlined preliminary 2025–26 budget numbers and next steps. The board approved a Keys to Literacy professional services agreement for $142,200 after a motion amending travel-cost language, and also approved a one‑year photography contract for Methacton High School.
The Methacton School District presented an updated look at the 2025–26 budget at the March 25 meeting and advanced several vendor contracts tied to curriculum and student services.
Director of Business Services Miss Steffy summarized the budget process and recent updates. The district’s proposed preliminary budget previously stood at $139,804,158 (preliminary proposed figure presented in January). Recent changes — salary/benefit adjustments, retirements and a “second look” at medical benefits — produced a February net reduction of $784,950. Current district projections presented March 25 listed total revenues at $139,953,132 and proposed expenditures at $138,564,626, leaving a variance of $1,388,506; administrators said they reduced the planned real-estate tax increase to 4.8% in response, limiting use of fund balance to $21,550 while reflecting a $681,000 special-education exception figure.
Miss Steffy and board members discussed staffing adjustments made in the pre-preliminary budget (positions reduced to reflect retirements and enrollment trends), the addition of an athletic trainer with a first-year cost of $138,000, and an updated strategy on software and curriculum purchases (including a significant investment in literacy and updates to science and world-language materials). Miss Steffy noted the district is still awaiting adjustments for North Montco Tech, workers compensation, final medical-benefit third-look numbers, charter school enrollment trends, and technology lease final figures; those items will be reflected before final adoption in late May.
On contracts, the board approved two vendor agreements connected to instruction and student services: - Keys to Literacy/Schools Cubed: The board approved a professional-services agreement with Keys to Literacy (seller of the Schools Cubed literacy program) for the 2025–26 school year at a cost of $142,200. The motion was amended during discussion to include solicitor-drafted language making explicit that travel costs are included within the stated total fee. The vote was recorded as unanimous (8–0). - Katie Photography: The board approved a one-year agreement with Katie Photography for high-school photography services, with a friendly amendment requiring additional on-site photo sessions at the high school for students who cannot attend studio appointments. The motion passed unanimously (8–0).
Board members pressed for more transparency about budget assumptions and asked for the PFM financial update to be shared when complete. Several directors emphasized the need to hold off on spending for specialized building investigations unless the board gives explicit direction.
Miss Steffy said the next budget milestones are an April 9 finance committee review, work session review on April 22, a proposed budget vote at the April 29 regular meeting, and final adoption at the May 27 meeting after remaining adjustments.
No related policy changes were approved at this item; these were contracting and budget process updates and approvals.
