Chartiers Valley school administrators have propose a budget for next school year with no tax increase.
The proposal maintains a 20.1909 millage rate.
A property owner with a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $2,019 annually.
The proposed budget totals $81 million, roughly $2.02 million more than last year, said Janelle Kopay, director of human resources and communications.
Chartiers Valley is proposing to use about $2.29 million from its debt stabilization fund to help balance the budget.
The district maintains an unassigned fund balance equal to about 6% of budgeted expenditures, Kopay said.
She said original projections showed a nearly 10% increase would have been needed to maintain status quo operations, “so significant adjustments were made to reduce expenditures.”
One mill brings just less than $2.46 million into the district. CV’s inflation-adjusted index set by the state was 3.5% for next school year, so the district would only be able to increase the millage rate by .71 mills which would be an additional $1.737 million.
Kopay said the proposal includes adding a fourth grade teacher; a special education life skills teacher; an English Language Learner teacher; a technology and innovation teacher for third through fifth grades; a science specialty teacher for kindergarten through second grade; and a director of sponsorships, alumni engagement and annual giving.
CV also proposes more STEM robotics opportunities; continued math and literacy initiatives; developing a districtwide targeted academic, behavioral and social-emotional support for students; and an increased focus on artificial intelligence literacy and technology integration, Kopay said.
No major program cuts were identified, she said.
District officials noted that the falling common level ratio in Allegheny County is a budget challenge. A declining common level ratio impacts assessed property values used for taxation and can limit local revenue growth. That creates additional financial pressure on the district while costs continue to rise, Kopay said.
Like most Allegheny County school districts, health care, special education and transportation costs continue to rise at CV, Kopay said, while state and federal funding remain relatively flat.
Chartiers Valley continues facility improvements, including a high school gymnasium renovation and administration wing at the high school, through a 2021 construction bond restricted to those projects.
The school board will vote on the budget at its June 9 meeting.
“The budget reflects continued investment in academics, STEM, student support services and safety initiatives while attempting to remain fiscally responsible,” Kopay said.