Springfield Township SD board adopts proposed final 2026–27 budget, recommends 3.5% tax increase

Springfield Township SD board members voted April 20 to adopt the proposed final budget for the 2026–27 school year, approving procedures to post the plan publicly and set the district’s homestead exclusion.

Administration presented projected revenues of about $77.4 million and planned expenditures of roughly $78.1 million, leaving an anticipated gap the budget covers with a recommended 3.5% tax increase and a $715,000 draw from the district’s fund balance. "We are proposing for the proposed final budget a 3.5% proposed tax increase," Cara Green said during the presentation.

The administration described several factors behind the figures: local revenue drives about 79% of the budget (of which real-estate taxes constitute roughly 86%), state resources about 20% and federal funds approximately 1% ($572,000, as discussed during the meeting). Officials said they built conservative revenue assumptions to account for ongoing economic volatility and possible delays in state funding.

Officials highlighted two primary savings since the finance committee’s first-look review: approximately $260,000 in attritional savings on salaries and benefits and about $236,000 in lower-than-expected debt service after a successful refinance of the 2018 bond series. These adjustments reduced the planned use of fund balance from an earlier estimate of about $1.2 million to the $715,000 included in the proposed final budget.

The board approved the motion as presented on the agenda, which also authorizes the required 30‑day public posting and inspection of the proposed final budget on form PDE‑2028. Administration said it expects to bring the final budget back for adoption at the June 16 regular meeting after the public review period; at this time, no further substantive changes were anticipated.

Officials detailed several program and capital priorities covered by the budget, including ongoing maintenance and capital work on the high‑school roof and middle‑school renovation, districtwide device replacement and continued investments in cybersecurity and curriculum materials. Administration also proposed modest program additions for extracurricular support, including expanded middle‑school volleyball and stipends for activity advisers.

The vote was taken by voice; the chair announced the item approved. The board also approved related finance items on the agenda, including the advertisement and public inspection procedures required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.