Shamokin Area board adopts tentative 2026–27 budget, approves homestead-farmstead resolution amid debate over cyber-charter costs

The Shamokin Area School District board adopted a tentative 2026–27 general fund budget at its rescheduled meeting on May 21, 2026, after a presentation from Business Manager Karen Colangelo and public comment sharply focused on cyber-charter tuition costs and property-tax impacts. Colangelo said the proposal reflects revenue from local, state and federal sources and recommends raising millage to the Act 1 index to offset lower assessed values.

Colangelo, the district’s business manager, said the proposed budget lists total expenditures of $46,849,983 and projected revenues of about $42,000,000, supplemented by a general fund balance she said was $5,600,000 entering the year. "So in summary, we have an expenditure of $46,849,983," Colangelo said. She told the board projected revenues and the current fund balance would leave an estimated fund balance of about $872,000, and that unused budgetary reserve could raise that figure to roughly $2.5 million at year-end.

The proposal also includes a per-teacher pay increase built into the numbers: the board’s package includes $5,000 for each teacher in 2026–27, which Colangelo and the chair said amounts to roughly $795,000 districtwide (about a 7.7% gross raise). The motion to adopt the tentative budget passed on roll call.

Public commenters supported higher revenue to maintain programs and safety staff but pressed the board on spending priorities. A resident who identified himself as a longtime community member said, "Nobody nobody likes to pay more, but it's something we have to do," noting recent hires of two school police officers and ongoing contract talks with teachers. Another resident criticized the district’s cyber-charter tuition costs, saying, "26,000,000 over, what, 13 years we've paid for cyber school," and called for more local outreach about homestead and farmstead tax relief options.

Board members clarified that homestead and farmstead exclusions are separate: farmstead requires continuing agricultural acreage (10 or more acres), while homestead is based on primary residency. Colangelo directed residents to the Northumberland County Assessment Office for applications and noted the March 1 application deadline for the current school year (late applications accepted for the following school year).

Separately, the board moved and approved a homestead/farmstead exclusion resolution that the chair said would allow administration of the exclusions. The board also discussed the role of ESSER funds in recent federal revenue spikes, the increasing share of purchased services (which includes cyber-charter tuition), and the rise in special-education costs — Colangelo said special-education tuition grew from about $8.2 million in 2023–24 to $9.3 million in 2024–25, a $1.1 million increase in one year.

The proposed budget will be posted for public review in the business office and on the district website for 30 days. The board scheduled its next meeting for June 23, 2026.