Blue Ridge School District - Budget

Budget

In 2009, the district reports employing over 100 teachers with a starting salary of $36,386 for 180 days for pupil instruction. The average teacher salary was $49,741, while the maximum salary was $98,000. Teachers work 186 days with 180 pupil days with a 7.5 hour work day, including a 30 minute duty free lunch. 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, effective with the 2011 contract, Blue Ridge School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance (10% cost to employee), vision insurance (at no cost to employee), dental insurance (at no cost to employee), income protection insurance (at no cost to the employee), professional development reimbursement, 2 paid personal days, 10 sick days (which accumulate)) and other benefits. Upon retirement teachers receive pay for unused sick and personal days at $85 per day. Teachers are paid extra if they are required to work outside of the regular school day 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 90 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $47,321 for 180 school days worked.

Blue RIdge School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $881.67 per pupil. The district is ranked 114th for administrative spending out of 500 school districts in Pennsylvania. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.

In 2008, Blue Ridge School District reported spending $13,800 per pupil. This ranked 117th in the commonwealth. In 2010 the per pupil spending had declined to $13,146.93 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 2009, the district reported $1,726,407 in an unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero. In 2010, Blue Ridge Administration reported an increase to $1,860,489.00 in the unreserved-undesignated fund balance while the designated fund balance was $490,000.00. 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.

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

The district is funded by a combination of: a local 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. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.