Budget
In May 2011, the board and teachers union agreed to a one year salary freeze, as well as, no tuition reimbursement plus a 20 percent reduction in salary for all extracurricular and athletic coaches salaries for 2011-12 school year that is projected to save the district $545,000. Additionally, the board eliminated the curriculum director position saving $109,000. Administration salaries were also frozen for one year. Other teacher positions were eliminated when the teachers retire at the end of this school year.
The Milton Area School Board set the budget at $24.8 million for 2007-2008. The board levies a variety of taxes to support its programs. Taxes include 48.39 mills real estate tax in 2007 for district properties located in Northumberland County. For properties located in White Deer Township, Union County the real estate property tax was set at 10.10 mills. The School Board and teachers' union engaged in a Fact Finding process as a part of developing a new contract in 2006. A contract agreement was reached that covered three years 2006 to 2009.
The district administrative costs per pupil in were $549.64 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. In 2010, Cathy Groller was hired as Superintendent at a starting salary of $115,000. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union including: health insurance, life insurance, paid sick days, paid holidays, taxpayer funded dues payments and more.
In 2007, the district employed 173 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $47,380 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. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.
In September 2009, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the school board and the administration.
In 2008, the administration reported that the district per pupil spending was $10,612. This ranked 429th among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax -1.3%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax - 0.5%, per capita taxes of $5 (Section 679) and $10 (Act 511). 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 individual's level of wealth.
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