Franklin Area SD reviews 2026–27 budgets, previews Act 1 resolution and Venango Technology Center costs

The Franklin Area School District board on Jan. 20 reviewed several budget items for the 2026–27 fiscal year, including a proposed Venango Technology Center budget and the district’s Act 1 'not to exceed' index resolution.

Reading aloud the Venango Technology Center proposal, the chair reported total expenditures of $9,492,856 with district secondary program expenditures of $6,443,352. Business manager Kimberly Eaton told the board the Venango budget is up slightly due primarily to higher health-care costs and the addition of a nurse tied to increased enrollment.

Eaton recommended the board adopt a budget resolution under Act 1 that would agree the district will not increase taxes for 2026–27 above the state-calculated index. She told directors they would have a week to consider the resolution before a scheduled vote (board members were told to expect a vote on Monday the 26th). The chair read Act 1 background language and said the resolution would authorize Kimberly Eaton, business manager, to sign on behalf of the district.

Why it matters: Act 1 limits school tax increases to an index unless voters approve a referendum or the district secures an exception; adopting the 'not to exceed' resolution is a routine step that preserves options and sets the path for the budget process. The Venango Technology Center budget figures reported at the meeting establish the scale of proposed expenditures and identify the cost drivers members cited, including health insurance and increased enrollment.