Tom Strickler, the district’s finance lead, presented a November financial update noting estimated 2025–26 basic education funding of roughly $11,676,000, special education funding about $2,794,000 and an estimated combined ready‑to‑learn/adequacy allocation of $1,262,000. Strickler said a recent state payment run produced approximately $7,558,000 in receipts year to date and that July–October revenue totaled about $47,300,000.

Strickler explained that the ready‑to‑learn/adequacy portion of state funding can be uncertain during budget negotiations and cautioned the board against treating those dollars as guaranteed. He also described an expected reduction in cyber‑charter costs subject to a new PDE form (PDE‑363) and estimated a potential roughly $320,000 cost reduction once the state updates calculations and credits districts for prior bills.

On oversight, Strickler gave a detailed primer on the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) early‑warning system: districts submit an annual financial report by Nov. 30, computer flags ( fund balance ratios, borrowing capacity and debt ratios ) can trigger a Financial Watch status, which can escalate over years through Financial Recovery and, in extreme cases, Receivership. He emphasized the district had not been contacted by PDE for watch or recovery and said such escalations occur only after a sequence of notices and opportunities to respond.

Board members asked follow‑up questions about timing and whether the district is currently ‘caught up’ on older payments; Strickler said the state had recently cleared several prior amounts and he would log specific reconciliations for the board. He recommended a multi‑part presentation to the board with additional financial exhibits at the next meeting and additional forecasting in January.