The Loyalsock Township School District passed its proposed final budget, which includes a .25 mill tax increase, and is slated to give final approval next month.

With no definitive information as to the direction of the state budget, the school’s budget is little changed from the tentative budget passed last month, business manager Dan Egly said.

“That’s the huge factor that we are waiting on right now. We have conservative numbers estimated in our budget on the revenue side,” he said, noting that a major piece up in the air is Gov. Josh Shapiro’s cyber school reform initiative.

“Once we have that information, and we may not even have it by June, that’ll be put in this budget,” he said.

The proposed budget continues to include a .25 mill tax increase, the first for the district in three years, Egly said.

“Please know that Loyalsock Township still has the lowest millage rate in Lycoming County for school district real estate taxes,” he said.

A $717,000 deficit continues to be budgeted for, though several factors will help offset that amount in the future, including a reduction in debt payments in 2027, which Egly said will infuse an additional $600,000 into the general fund budget.

An upcoming property value reassessment across the county will also impact the district’s funding down the road, according to the business manager.

“It will raise the value of properties much higher than what you see now on your tax bill. The last assessment was done in 2004, so it’ll bring those values up to 2027 value,” he said.

“What that’ll mean for for the school district is it will inevitably lower the millage to where it is revenue neutral, meaning the district cannot benefit any more than the previous year prior to the reassessment, so you won’t be paying any more in that first year,” Egly said, explaining that any future tax increases would be based on the new values established by the reassessment.

“So this .25 mil increase that we’re proposing in this budget will be worth significantly more in 2028-29,” he said.

The board is expected to pass the final 2025-26 school year budget at its June 11 meeting.

Other financial matters tackled by the board included accepting the independent auditors’ report prepared by Larson, Kellett & Associates P.C., Montoursville, for the year ended June 30, 2024; the transfer of $500,000 from the general fund unassigned fund balance to the capital projects fund; and the approval of athletic ticket prices for the 2025-2026 school year, which remain unchanged from the previous year.

Additionally, the board authorized student discounts for up to 100% for behavior, attendance and grade-based incentive programs.

It also approved breakfast and lunch prices for the 2025-2026 school year — elementary student breakfast, $2.50, and lunch, $3.25; secondary student breakfast, $3, and lunch, $4. Each student is entitled to one free breakfast and lunch; and adult meal prices were set as follows: breakfast, $3.50, and lunch, $5.50.

Other items approved include the purchase of furniture from Tanner Furniture, Harrisburg, for the Donald E. Schick Elementary School Media Center, at a cost of $19,387; a proposal for the purchase of lockers as part of the facility improvement project at the secondary campus from CM Eichenlaub Co., Pittsburgh, in the amount of $144,759; and $20,020 in athletic bids for the 2025-26 school year.

Following their recent PIAA championship win, the board agreed to contribute $3,000 toward the purchase of basketball championship rings.

In anticipation of the district’s June 6 commencement ceremony, the board approved the full list of upcoming graduates and temporarily transferred the presidency to Dr. Charles Edmonds, so that he could sign his son’s diploma.

Several new staff were added to the ranks of the district, including Evan Laudenslager as a temporary professional employee assigned as a third grade teacher, effective Aug. 18; Amanda Pearl as a professional employee assigned as a third grade teacher, effective Aug. 18; Landon Sanford as a temporary professional employee assigned as an English teacher, effective Aug. 18; Sierra Barnes as a full-time high school secretary at an hourly rate of $15.30; Larry Stoner as a full-time custodian, effective April 23, at an hourly rate of $15.50; Timothy Pohlig as a school resource/police officer; and Allyia Kennedy, Lyndie Peters, Blake Phillips and Gianna Rupert as summer custodial/maintenance staff at a rate of $14 per hour. Additionally, Elvia Maher was transferred from part-time to full-time math intervention paraprofessional, effective Aug. 18.

Other actions taken by the board include the approval of an agreement between the district and Loyalsock Township Education Support Professionals Association for the period of July 1 to June 30, 2030, and the appointment of board member JacLynne Lindsay as both a voting delegate to the PSBA 2025 Delegate Assembly and as school board treasurer.

During public comments, a student addressed the board with concerns over a change to the upcoming school year calendar.

“A big change was made this year, which lessens our summer break by an entire week,” the student said.

“We are now going back to school during the Little League World Series, which is a huge thing in our area, and something our students enjoy being a part of,” he continued, attributing the shortened summer break to additional time allotted during the Thanksgiving holiday break.

“As students, we did not want time off during Thanksgiving because we have just recently started school and have a big Christmas break right around the corner. And while our first choice would be a longer summer, if there’s a reason this needs to be changed, then us students would much prefer time off at spring than time off at Thanksgiving,” he said.

“I think I speak for the majority of the student body when I ask that this please be reconsidered,” the young man concluded.

The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on June 11.