Last night, the Penns Manor School Board gave tentative approval to the 2025-26 budget, but the district is facing a funding problem that other districts are going through.
The spending plan comes to $21,252,129 with a budget gap of $1,118,460. To help fill that gap, the tentative plan includes a 5.9% tax increase. While she voted against the budget, board vice president Jill Eckenrode understood the problem that the district was going through as over $900,000 of that gap is due to required funding of students going to Cyber Charter Schools. She said she was disappointed that some legislators have done nothing to correct the issue.
The board also received an update on the ongoing negotiations between the Penns Manor School District and the union representing educational support professionals. Eckenrode said that at a work session last week, the board approved a fact-finder’s report for the contract. The union also approved the report and the new agreement will be drawn up in conjunction with both sides. It could be up for approval as soon as next month.
