Solanco School District board members heard a detailed preview of the 2026–27 budget and approved an Act 1 opt‑out resolution at the board meeting held Dec. 1. Mrs. Tucker, who led the budget presentation, outlined state deadlines and new funding streams the district expects to receive for the coming year.

The presentation highlighted a series of Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) deadlines tied to the district’s budget work: Dec. 15 for certification related to tax credits, Dec. 31 for Homestead/Farmstead notice, Jan. 29 to adopt an accelerated budget and the opt‑out resolution, and April 20 as a target date to present the final budget. Mrs. Tucker said the opt‑out resolution — approved by voice vote — is required for the district to use the state’s adequacy supplement tied to the 'Ready to Learn' grant.

Mrs. Tucker said Solanco will receive an additional allotment through the Ready to Learn grant that materially increases state funding for 2025–26. "This year, it amounts to about $42,000" for one line item she cited, and she reported the district expects roughly $1.3 million to flow to the district through the Ready to Learn/adequacy streams after recent state changes. She cautioned there are restrictions on how that supplement can be spent and that the board must adopt the opt‑out resolution to be eligible to use it.

On other revenue lines, Mrs. Tucker said the district expects to collect more than $10 million in earned income tax and roughly $900,000 more from property‑related taxes for 2025–26. She reiterated that local taxes account for about 60% of district revenue, which insulated Solanco during the months the state lacked a finalized budget but also means local revenues alone do not cover escalating payroll and benefits.

The presentation said the district’s general fund responsibilities are under pressure from personnel costs: payroll and benefits represent about 65% of the expenditure budget. Mrs. Tucker pointed to rising retirement costs (PSERS) as a long‑term driver, noting a multi‑year increase that will materially affect future budgets. She also identified utilities, transportation and special‑education expenses (including charter and cyber tuition costs) as continuing budget pressures.

Mrs. Tucker reviewed fund balances and borrowings: a capital reserve of approximately $24 million, a construction fund of about $6.6 million (from recent borrowing), a hospitalization fund of roughly $4.4 million set aside for high‑cost claims, and total outstanding borrowings of about $22 million scheduled to be paid off by April 2033. She said these reserves leave the district in a comparatively strong cash position but do not remove pressure from rising operating costs.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the district’s assumptions, including the source of a projected 20% electric cost increase and whether a 1% health‑care premium rise is realistic. Mrs. Tucker credited the IU consortium projections for utility estimates and said she will monitor health‑care claims and adjust assumptions if needed.

What happens next: the district will follow the PDE timeline through April and May with public notices and hearings before final budget adoption, and staff said they will return with more detailed budget numbers as they firm up estimates.

(Reporting note: quotes and figures in this article are drawn from the district’s presentation and the board discussion recorded at the Dec. 1 meeting.)