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Board presses state preschool funding questions as community ed shows $68K shortfall
Summary
Board members pressed the business manager on repeated denials of VPK (voluntary preschool) funding and on community education's multi‑year losses; business manager said VPK allocations are competitive and that community ed must strive to break even, noting a projected $68,000 deficit in fund 4.
Board members used the FY27 budget discussion to focus on preschool funding and the long‑running community education deficit.
Dawn, the district business manager, explained the VPK (voluntary preschool) application and seat‑allocation process and said the district has often been denied direct VPK funding but sometimes receives reallocated seats: "We apply every year at Kennywood and Mingo, and you would think we are a shoo in... Sometimes we get 5. Sometimes we get none," she said, describing the application and reallocation cycle. Board members urged clearer feedback from the state after repeated denials so staff time on applications is not wasted.
The business manager and board discussed community education (fund 4) performance. Board members noted community ed has been a recurring drain for years and asked for a committee review of programs to retain profitable offerings and cut unprofitable ones. The budget presentation showed a projected fund 4 deficit of about $68,000; the business manager said staff changes and rate increases had narrowed prior losses but more work is needed to reach break‑even.
