Pitman board approves 2026 budget resolution; officials cite $1.7M state funding shortfall

The Pitman Boro School District Board of Education voted to approve a written budget resolution after a detailed presentation from district leaders outlining revenue, debt and tax impacts.

District officials told the board that, under current state aid calculations and caps, Pitman is receiving roughly 75% of the state funding its formula would otherwise allocate, leaving an estimated shortfall of about $1.7 million. Administrators also cited an approximately 18% increase in health-care costs as a major pressure on the budget.

The business official who presented the numbers said the district’s local levy would be about $17.1 million next year, representing a 3.98% increase overall. He estimated that for an average home assessed at $240,000 the net impact would be about $20 per month, with just over half of that attributable to referendum debt payments tied to recent capital projects.

Administrators described steps taken to offset costs, including restructuring building lease agreements to increase revenue, preserving core programs and adding targeted supports such as a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and a preschool disabled (PSD) classroom to strengthen special-education services. The presenters said the district will continue to monitor reserves and noted a projected debt-service rise to about $1.6 million in the 2027–28 year for the new referendum payment schedule.

After the presentation, the President moved to approve the written resolution. A second was recorded and the board clerk called the vote; board members answered in the affirmative and the motion carried.