Danville Area School District - Budget

Budget

In May 2012, the board elected to eliminate 3 teaching position through attrition. The positions were eliminated due to declining enrollment. The school board and administration are wrestling with repairs to the flood damaged middle school. The school was heavily flooded in September 2011. An empty elementary school was used to provide middle school classes through the 2011-12 school year. The Board has ruled out building a new building due to financial constraints.

The school board approved a preliminary budget that does not furlough any professional staff. There were several open teaching positions that will be eliminated. The budget calls for $500,000 for new capital projects and a $200,000 increase technology budget. Superintendent Price reported that class sizes remain ideal and lower than other schools in the region. Seventeen class aide positions were eliminated as well as an assistant food service director. Spending on sports was reduced by $25,000.

In 2009 the district reported employing over 200 teachers with a salary range of $37,569 to $109,000 for 188 days. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance employee pays 10%, dental and vision insurance, professional development reimbursement, 1 emergency day leave, 2 personal days, 3 bereavement leave, sick days, a retirement bonus and other benefits. According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.

In 2007, the district employed 191 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $51,084 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation.

The district administrative costs per pupil were $613.26 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.

District administration reported that in 2008 the per pupil spending was $12,124 which ranked 261st among Pennsylvania public schools.

In May 2011, the board took out a $8.4 million loan in order to buy out of an interest swap deal that was losing money. The board ended the employment of its business manager who had entered into the interest gambling swap contract.

In June 2011, the Danville Area School District School Board voted to hire Cheryl Latoore as Superintendent, awarding her a 5 year contract with a beginning salary of $125,000 plus an extensive benefits package. At the time of hiring, Latorre was the Superintendent of neighboring Mount Carmel Area School District.

In February 2013, the Board reported a $1 million deficit in the proposed budget for 2013-14. The district reports that 45% of the budget is salaries and 23% is the cost of the teachers' benefits. Additionally, student transportation costs $11,000 a day.

In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The results were provided to the board and administration.

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of income level.