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Athens Area SD superintendent previews 2025-26 budget and flags $1.9M cyber charter cost
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Sage told the Athens Area School District board March 11 that declining assessed value and continuing cyber charter tuition payments will squeeze the 2025-26 preliminary budget; he outlined options including raising to the Act 1 index and urged awareness of a proposed $8,000 statewide cyber tuition cap in the governor's budget.
Superintendent Dr. Sage on March 11 presented a budget preview to the Athens Area School District board, saying the district faces a projected local revenue decline of $114,495.90 for 2025-26 if taxes remain unchanged and highlighting a projected $1,930,000 payment to cyber charter schools that will further strain the budget.
The preview, delivered at the district's March board meeting, explained that total assessed value dropped from about $281 million to $278.9 million and that Athens Township's assessed value fell from $131,392,000 in 2024 to about $129,100,000 in 2025. Dr. Sage said those changes, plus the loss of three parcels from the tax rolls, drive the local revenue decline.
Dr. Sage said the board in December agreed to limit future tax increases to the Act 1 index. At the district's current millage of 54.3 mills, the Act 1 index would allow a rise to roughly 57.57 mills and would yield about $835,000 if the board chose to adopt it.
Why it matters: the superintendent framed the…
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