Ridley School District - Budget

Budget

In 2009, the district reported employing 476 teachers and administrators with a salary range of $40,479 to $194,000. The median teacher salary was $78,000

In 2007, the district employed 392 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $68,226 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, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, prescription drug plan, professional development reimbursement, 2-5 paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, and other benefits. Upon retirement teachers are paid a bonus of $100 a day for each unused sick day up to 210 sick days. Teachers may take sabbatical at 50% pay for up to one year. Benefits continue through the sabbatical period including accruing seniority.

Ridley School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $754.62 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 June 2011, Superintendent Lee Ann Wentzel received a new contract through the end of the 2014-15 school year. Her $191,000 salary was reduced to $188,000, including bonuses based on annual goal attainment, and a student achievement bonus.

In 2008 the district administration reported that per pupil spending was $13,261 which ranked 154th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts. In 2010, the per pupil spending had increased to $14,073.91 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 $2,400,000 in an unreserved-designated fund balance. The unreserved-undesignated fund balance was reported as $5,942,804. In 2010, the unreserved-designated fund balance was $4,750,000.00, while the unreserved-undesignated fund balance was $5,073,444.00. PA 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.

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

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, 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 personal wealth.