Pleasant Valley School District - Budget

Budget

In 2009, the district reported employing 578 teachers and administrators with a median teacher salary of $58,252 and a top salary was $136,544. The starting salary in 2010 was $39,800 for a new graduate teacher. The teachers work 184 days with a 7.5 hour work day that includes a 30 minute duty free lunch. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance (teacher contributes $35 per pay), vision insurance, dental insurance including orthodontics, prescription coverage, professional development reimbursement 6 college credits per year per teacher, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, 3 paid bereavement days and other benefits. When teachers retire with 25 years of service or more, they receive free full health insurance until through the age of 65 years. Teachers with 10 years employment are eligible for a sabbatical leave for one year at one half their salary. They continue to earn time towards their pension.

In 2007, the district employed 415 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $49,827 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.

Pleasant Valley School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $610.41 per pupil. 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's report, the average salary for a superintendent, for the 2007-08 school year, was $122,165. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.

In 2008, Pleasant Valley School District Administration reported that per pupil spending was $11,422 which ranked 330th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts. In 2010, the per pupil spending had increased to $14,127.58 which ranked 171st in the Commonwealth. Among the states, Pennsylvania’s total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09. In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was $12,759.

Reserves In 2008, the district reported $4,708,116 in an unreserved-designated fund balance. The unreserved-undesignated fund balance was reported as $3,843,770. In 2010, Pleasant Valley Administration reported an increase to $13,941,843 in its unreserved-designated fund and $1,000,000.00 in the unreserved-undesignated fund. Pennsylvania school district reserve funds are divided into two categories – designated and undesignated. The undesignated funds are not committed to any planned project. Designated funds and any other funds, such as capital reserves, are allocated to specific projects. School districts are required by state law to keep 5 percent of their annual spending in the undesignated reserve funds to preserve bond ratings. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, from 2003 to 2010, as a whole, Pennsylvania school districts amassed nearly $3 billion in reserved funds. For the 2011-12 school year budget, the Board used $5.2 million of fund balance. The proposed budget for 2012-13 calls for using another $4.1 million from the reserve to fund the budget. The district has experienced steady declined of enrollment of over 2000 students since 2000, but has not adequately adjusted staffing. In 2006 enrollment was 6,958 pupils. Enrollment is projected to decline further to 4679 pupils by 2020. Enrollment was 5,885 in 2010 with 456.53 teachers for a 13:1 student - teacher ratio.

In March 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the school board and administration.

In June 2010, the Pleasant Valley School Board voted 8-0 to close Eldred Elementary School located in Kunkletown, Monroe County, due to steadily declining enrollment.

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax of 0.5%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. 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 personal wealth.