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Hatboro‑Horsham board advances proposed $142.9M budget and approves three‑year teacher contract
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Summary
The Hatboro‑Horsham School Board on April 27 received a proposed 2026–27 final budget showing $136.4 million in projected revenue and $142.9 million in projected expenditures, and approved a three‑year successor agreement with the Hatboro‑Horsham Education Association that includes 3.5% annual salary increases.
The Hatboro‑Horsham School District Board of School Directors on April 27 received a proposed 2026–27 final budget showing projected revenues of $136,400,000 and projected expenditures of $142,900,000, and approved a three‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Hatboro‑Horsham Education Association (HHEA).
Director of business affairs Bill Stone presented the budget and told the board the figures represented “a deficit before any real estate tax increase of about $6,500,000.” He said the state’s Act 1 index for the coming year (3.5%) would generate roughly $3.3 million if the board taxed to that limit, leaving an estimated remaining gap of about $3.2 million that administration expects to close before a final budget recommendation in mid‑June.
Superintendent Dr. Everslager emphasized the statutory nature of the proposed‑final presentation and cautioned, “This is not the final budget.” He and Stone said the district has pursued a multi‑week budget process and has used a concentric‑circle model of reductions that aims to protect classroom instruction.
On personnel and labor, the board approved a three‑year successor agreement with the HHEA covering the 2026–27 through 2028–29 school years. The administration summarized key terms: total salaries will increase by 3.5% each year (including step increases), the district will maintain three health plans while reducing employee health‑care contributions to better align with peer districts, a vision insurance plan and additional paid parental leave will be added, a co‑payment for specialty drugs will be implemented, limitations on certain terminal leaves and tuition provisions were revised, and the teacher work year will be set at 191 days. The administration also said the HHEA membership ratified the agreement earlier the same day.
The board voted to approve the proposed final budget on the agenda and to ratify the HHEA contract during the same meeting. Multiple routine agenda items were also approved in omnibus votes, including curriculum adoptions, facilities bids (Simmons Pool decommissioning; high‑school life skills apartment renovation; Blair Mill grease trap replacement; skid‑steer purchase), acceptance of donations, disposal of obsolete equipment, and lease agreements for printers and student devices.
The administration said it will publish the required PDE 2028 document once BoardDocs is back online and will advertise the district’s intention to adopt a final budget by June 5, with a public adoption scheduled for June 15. Between now and then, officials said they will pursue further reductions and efficiencies to close the remaining gap.
