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Washington Township board adopts tentative $51 million 2026–27 budget
Summary
The Washington Township Board of Education unanimously adopted a tentative $51.0 million 2026–27 budget, approving related donations, bids and personnel items; district leaders said the plan increases investments in ELA, STEAM and special education while noting state aid unpredictability and rising health and payroll costs.
The Washington Township Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a tentative $51.0 million budget for the 2026–27 school year during its March meeting.
Business Administrator Katie Dizo presented the overview, saying the proposed budget represents a $1.6 million increase — a 3.3 percent rise over the current $49.3 million budget — and reflected a 5 percent tax‑levy increase in the draft presentation. "This is as of today our most current numbers. We have a decrease of about overall throughout the district 74 students," Dizo said, and later noted the proposed budget includes investments in phonics and ELA K–2, expanded STEAM and math professional development, new world‑language offerings K–8, enhanced special‑education supports (including a new LLD position), and technology and security upgrades.
Dizo told the board the district used allowable state adjustments to exceed the usual 2 percent tax levy cap, citing an allowable health‑benefit adjustment of $600,000 and an enrollment adjustment of $590,000 based on a six‑year look‑back. She flagged key cost pressures: a 3.4 percent projected payroll increase (about $900,000) and an estimated 20 percent rise in health‑benefit costs (about $866,000). "The combined growth of these expenses along exceed just the amount of revenue that we're allowed to take only 2%," she said.
Superintendent Lynn framed the budget decisions around student programs and staffing. The presentation described targeted curriculum investments and said the district will add a 0.5 technology technician position, purchase Chromebooks for grade 5, and strengthen security with the district SRO program and two Class III officers.
At roll call the board approved the tentative budget as printed in the agenda (item 20) and also passed several grouped agenda items earlier in the meeting, including acceptance of donations and bid awards. Finance committee materials reviewed earlier in the meeting noted referendum projects such as sidewalk and drainage repairs to begin over summer break and core drilling at LBMS to investigate a parking‑lot deficiency; the sports‑courts lowest bid was presented for approval as part of tonight's agenda.
The board framed the tentative budget as an overview pending deeper review: a fuller presentation with program‑level details is scheduled for the April meeting and the public budget hearing and final adoption are set for April 28. Dizo said she will submit the tentative budget to the county by March 27 so the county has time to review and request clarifications.
The board's adoption of the tentative budget does not itself finalize the levy or the district's final spending plan; the public hearing and subsequent vote in April are the next procedural steps.
