Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Allegheny-Clarion Valley board hears preliminary budget showing $2.1 million shortfall
Summary
District leaders presented a preliminary 2026–27 budget that projects an approximately $2.1 million operating shortfall, citing rising retirement and health costs, declining enrollment and outside cyber tuition expenses; the board discussed possible staffing changes and next steps for narrowing the gap.
At its April meeting, the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board received a preliminary 2026–27 budget that projects an operating shortfall of roughly $2.1 million before adjustments.
A district presenter told the board the draft budget reflects factors many rural districts face: a declining on-campus enrollment of about 577 students (724 including outside placements), rising employer retirement contributions (the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System rate cited at 33.59 percent), an estimated 8.7 percent increase in health-care costs and substantial outside cyber tuition costs (the district reported roughly $1.6 million tied to 44 outside-cyber students). "Our revenues are just over $18 million, the expenditures just over $20 million and we're experiencing a projected shortfall of 2.1 million at this point," the presenter said.
The presentation outlined program and staffing details included in the draft: one superintendent, plans for a succession and assistant to the superintendent following a planned retirement in 2027, roughly 60 teachers and a mix of paraprofessionals and support staff, two school police officers (one covered by a PCCD grant), and contracted business-office services. The board also heard that district expenses for outside placements and specialized IU services remain high and that federal COVID-era ARP ESSER funds are no longer available to offset costs.
Board members pressed for specifics on revenue assumptions and potential reductions. The presenter noted some possible staffing adjustments in the draft, including converting an assistant elementary-principal position and reducing a business-manager position to part time, but said no final decisions would be made until the May budget review and Finance Committee discussions. The district expects to present a more detailed budget at the May 11 board meeting and to adopt a final budget by the June 15 board meeting with June 30 submission to the state, consistent with school code timelines.
Why it matters: the budget gap would force the district to reconcile program needs and state compliance requirements — including a forthcoming state reading curriculum mandate — against fiscal constraints. Administrators repeatedly urged caution about delaying required programs because of timing and compliance deadlines.
What’s next: the board will continue budget work with the finance committee and present the proposed final budget in May; any changes to staffing or programmatic commitments will be discussed publicly at future board meetings.
