Methacton board approves preliminary 2025–26 budget, authorizes special‑education exception with 5.1% tax increase

The Methacton School District Board of Directors approved a preliminary 2025–26 budget and authorized administrators to apply for an Act 1 special‑education referendum exception at a special meeting Feb. 18. The board recorded a 7–2 vote to adopt the preliminary budget package, which shows total expenditures of $139,804,158, projected revenues of $138,710,884 and a planned use of fund balance of $1,093,274.

The district advertised the preliminary budget on the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) form (PDE‑2028) and, if finalized in this form, would require a 5.1% increase in the tax rate. The motion also directs the administration to apply for a special‑education referendum exception under Act 1, which allows the district to exceed the Act 1 index for specified costs.

Why this matters: The preliminary budget is the public‑facing document required by state law for the next budget cycle and starts a 20‑day public posting period. Approval of this preliminary budget does not finalize tax rates or the final budget, but it authorizes the district to…